Summary of Key Points
To celebrate its 10th anniversary on July 17th, Yade Electric Vehicles collaborated with MiHoYo's game "Gzone Zero" for a major promotional campaign, including custom-made vehicles and eight offline events at Happy Valley. However, when the popular cosplayer Tang Mianzhen was hired to promote the campaign, she wore the costume of a character from a competing game, "Mingchao." This minor mistake, discovered by players, turned into a public controversy. Yade apologized, ended its partnership with the cosplayer, and the cosplayer issued a personal apology along with a compensation offer. The incident revealed the brand's misunderstanding of the significance of gaming collaborations, flaws in their review process, and highlighted the industry trend of two-wheeled electric vehicle brands focusing on anime-style marketing. It also underscored the importance of aligning brand initiatives with players' emotional connections to the games involved.
1. Review of the Incident: How Did a Small Mistake Turn into a Big Problem?
The mistake was as simple as a primary school student forgetting to change their name on a homework assignment:
- What went wrong? Yade and "Gzone Zero" collaborated, but the cosplayer's promotional video featured clothing from the competing game "Mingchao," not "Gzone Zero." It was like promoting McDonald's in a KFC uniform.
- How did it go unnoticed? The video was produced by a professional and reviewed by the brand, yet it was released without issue. Even more bizarrely, the offline events had ended on July 18th, but the video was posted on July 20th with a promotional copy that suggested it was still in the "pre-launch" phase.
- The chain of events: Players noticed the mistake in social media → The issue became a hot topic → Yade issued a statement on the evening of July 21st, terminating the partnership and apologizing to both "Gzone Zero" and the players → The cosplayer apologized personally and offered 1,000 membership benefits and 10 custom-made vehicles.
The whole process was like a domino effect: one small error turned what could have been a successful marketing campaign into a situation that embarrassed all parties involved.
2. Blame Game: Who Is to Be Held Responsible?
Neither the cosplayer nor the brand can be completely blamed:
- The cosplayer's fault: As a popular anime cosplayer, she should have known the difference between the characters from "Gzone Zero" and "Mingchao." It’s like a salesperson not distinguishing between Apple and Huawei phones—basic research was neglected. The delayed release of the video and the half-hearted response also showed a lack of professionalism.
- The brand's fault: The review process was lax. A promotional video should go through multiple checks, including content creation, agency review, and final approval by the brand. Since both games are highly recognizable anime IPs, the mistake could have been easily avoided if the brand had properly valued the importance of character recognition.
- Conclusion: The brand bears ultimate responsibility. As the funding party, Yade ultimately has control over the review process. Apologizing is not just shifting blame; it’s about taking responsibility for their own shortcomings.
3. Why Were Players So Angry? The Emotional Impact of Gaming Collaborations
To the average person, it might seem like a trivial issue, but for players, it was a matter of betrayal:
- Gaming collaborations are about emotional connection: Fans buy branded products not just for the product itself but as a way to express their affinity for the game and its world. Wearing clothing from a competing game is like buying a Disney-branded bag with Universal Studios logo—disappointing.
- Players value boundaries in these collaborations: In the anime community, characters belong to specific games, and wearing them incorrectly is seen as disrespectful. Yade’s mistake was about treating the IP as a mere marketing tool rather than a means of connecting with fans.
4. Why Are Two-Wheeled Electric Vehicle Brands Focusing on Anime-style Marketing?
Yade isn’t the first; brands like Aima, JiuHao, and Xiaoniu are also doing this:
- Changing consumer demographics: Generation Z is the main market for two-wheeled vehicles. They spend time on platforms like Bilibili and watch anime, with 95% of users in this category (according to ZhiShi Consulting). Brands use anime IPs to communicate with this audience more effectively.
- Need to differentiate products: Electric vehicle features are becoming increasingly similar, so brands need unique selling points. Anime IPs can add a narrative value to products. For example, Yade incorporated "Gzone Zero's" shark and mechanical themes into its designs, making the vehicles more appealing to younger, fashion-conscious consumers.
5. Lessons from the Incident for Gaming Collaborations: Understanding IP Value is Crucial
Yade’s mistake serves as a reminder to all brands considering anime-style marketing:
- Don’t treat collaborations superficially: Simply attaching an IP logo and hiring a cosplayer isn’t enough. For instance, during the collaboration with "Light and Night's Love," the brand required staff to remember the names and characteristics of the five main characters.
- Expertise is essential at every step: From planning to review, everyone involved must understand the game culture. A simple oversight, such as not noticing the costume mistake, could have been prevented with proper attention.
- Apologies are just the beginning: While Yade apologized, it didn’t hold the agency or the cosplayer accountable, and the compensation plan lacked official recognition. True resolution requires addressing the underlying issues in the review process.
In Conclusion
If you want to attract younger consumers through anime IPs, understand the emotional connection behind them and pay attention to every detail. Otherwise, a small mistake like wearing the wrong costume can cost you both traffic and reputation.
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