Meituan Scores A Viral Hit With Lu Xun Campaign  

China’s leading delivery app Meituan recently activated a successful campaign in Shanghai with Lu Xun, one of the nation’s greatest authors. 

The partnership together with the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation and the Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival for Have a Coffee Chat with Mr. Lu Xun campaign, where AI generated versions of the author served as a workplace therapist for young consumers. The move was timely commemoration of the famous author’s 145th birth anniversary and the 90th anniversary of his death

The meme-oriented campaign had interactive screens around Shanghai cafes where people could talk to AI generated Lu and a short film pairing Lu Xun quotes with all-too-familiar workplace frustrations were a hit among young workers in Shanghai. 

Users sharing campaign photos online could also receive limited-edition purple vest cup sleeves inspired by Lu Xun’s signature look, alongside novelty merchandise like moustache-shaped coffee straws and coffee coasters. 

According to ASN data, Meituan has invested US$710k in the Asian sponsorship market since Q323, with a quarterly average investment of about US$59k during this period. However, spends have plummeted to a zero since Q324, due to a spate of high-profile endorsement withdrawals. The Lu Xun collaboration seems like a clever budget-savvy play to engage with consumers.