Xiaomi Executive's Video Inadvertently Saves a Chili Sauce Brand

In July 2023, a seemingly ordinary travel preparation video by Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, unexpectedly transformed the fate of a traditional chili sauce brand in China. The video, which showcased Lei packing his luggage for a trip to Paris, inadvertently featured a bottle of Fanjiabiao chili sauce in the corner of his suitcase.

Within hours of the video’s release, eagle-eyed viewers identified the sauce brand as Fanjiabiao, a 20-year-old condiment maker from Chongqing, China, which had been designated as an intangible cultural heritage of the Jiulongpo district. Despite its cultural significance, the company had been struggling financially and was reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy.

The impact of Lei’s video was immediate and dramatic. Factory workers who spotted their product in Lei’s luggage shared the video in company group chats, prompting the marketing team to quickly capitalize on the unexpected exposure. The company cleverly rebranded their e-commerce account as “Fanjiabiao Paris Journey” to align with Lei’s travel context.

The marketing strategy proved remarkably successful. Within a month, Fanjiabiao’s online sales surged to 7 million yuan, with total sales exceeding 10 million yuan when including offline purchases. This remarkable turnaround earned media attention, with some outlets declaring “Lei Jun’s single video rescued a chili sauce enterprise from the brink of collapse.”

In a follow-up development, Xiaomi’s Redmi brand team, recognizing the viral potential, collaborated with Fanjiabiao to create special gift boxes for media representatives at their K80 smartphone launch event. Wang Teng, Redmi’s General Manager, embraced the narrative, stating that while their customized order was small, they hoped media coverage would further boost awareness of this traditional brand.

This phenomenon illustrates the profound influence of personal brand endorsements in China’s digital age. Lei Jun’s unintentional promotion demonstrated how authentic, non-commercial content from influential figures can create significant market impact. The case also highlights how traditional enterprises can leverage modern social media strategies to revitalize their brands when opportunities arise.

The success story of Fanjiabiao serves as an inspiring example of how bridge-building between established tech companies and traditional manufacturers can create unexpected opportunities for business revival. It also reflects the evolving nature of marketing in China, where genuine, seemingly casual endorsements from respected business leaders can sometimes outperform traditional advertising approaches.