A phenomenal trend is sweeping through the marketing world at astonishing speed: the era where everything can be collaborated. From luxury brands intersecting with street culture to food and beverage partnerships with anime IPs, collaborations have become a universal key for brands to quickly boost visibility and attract younger consumers. However, as all brands rush into this blue ocean of collaborations, the shadow of homogenized competition follows closely behind.
The IP Collaboration Arms Race
The success of "Zootopia 2" has reignited brands' enthusiasm for IP partnerships. This animated film, with its exquisite production, captivating storyline, and charming characters, quickly won over global audiences. Statistics show that from June 2025 until the film's release, nearly 70 domestic brands joined this IP collaboration battle across various sectors including bubble tea, blind boxes, daily chemicals, and fast fashion.
IP collaborations offer brands multiple advantages:
- Rapid brand awareness expansion: Leveraging an IP's massive fan base allows brands to quickly broaden their audience reach.
- Enhanced brand appeal: IPs typically carry unique cultural significance and emotional value that can amplify a brand's attractiveness.
- Differentiated competitive edge: In markets plagued by product homogeneity, IP collaborations help brands stand out.
- Increased pricing power: Successful collaborations can justify premium pricing for brand products.
Stinky Treasure's Breakthrough Strategy
Facing intense IP collaboration competition, Stinky Treasure adopted a multi-pronged approach rather than blindly following trends. Online, they generated buzz through creative pre-launch activities, prize giveaways, and Q&A sessions. They partnered with influencers to launch the #SlurpAndSolve challenge, cleverly blending movie-watching, discussion, and daily noodle consumption to stimulate user-generated content.
This strategy went beyond superficial engagement, deeply exploring "Zootopia 2"'s cultural essence and emotional resonance while aligning with Stinky Treasure's brand DNA. The #SlurpAndSolve challenge artfully connected the film's detective theme with the distinctive aroma of their signature dish, creating a uniquely entertaining experience that attracted both IP fans and curious new consumers.
Content Carnival: Building High-Engagement Interest Communities
The success of "Zootopia 2" extended beyond the film itself to spark a wave of user-generated content. From new character interaction zones at Disneyland to social media recreations and photo challenges, these activities created vibrant interest-based social spaces where people could freely express their passion.
Stinky Treasure recognized the value of these communities in establishing lasting brand connections. By facilitating shared experiences around both the film and their product, they cultivated a loyal following that extended beyond transactional relationships.
Targeting Generation Z: Connecting Consumption With Emotional Needs
Generation Z, with their strong purchasing power and willingness to spend, has become prime targets for brands. However, connecting with this demographic requires more than transactional relationships—it demands emotional resonance.
Stinky Treasure cleverly incorporated anime culture and pet elements into their campaigns. Through partnerships with cosplayers, anime influencers, and pet bloggers, they softly reached broader entertainment audiences while strengthening the brand's emotional connection to "companionship." One particularly effective campaign featured a golden retriever more interested in its owner than the noodles, creating heartwarming content that resonated authentically with viewers.
Long-Term Brand Image Expansion
IP collaborations represent more than temporary consumer engagement—they offer opportunities for lasting brand image transformation. Through multidimensional emotional connections with Generation Z, Stinky Treasure successfully challenged stereotypes about their signature product.
From sponsoring esports teams and regional sports events to the "Zootopia 2" collaboration, Stinky Treasure continuously connected with diverse audiences, cementing its image as youthful, trendy, and fun. The high engagement and sharing tendencies of Generation Z further amplified the brand's social media presence.
Experience First: Creating Immersive Brand Interactions
In the experience economy, emotional extension commands significant attention. For brands, ensuring memorable IP-related experiences is crucial for converting casual users into loyal advocates.
Stinky Treasure extended their campaign beyond digital platforms to physical spaces like the Weifang Kite Festival and music events, breaking perceptions of their product as confined to dining settings while building multidimensional brand impressions.
Returning to Product Fundamentals
As collaborations become ubiquitous, many follow formulaic patterns prioritizing speed over substance. In this environment, truly standout campaigns grow increasingly rare. Stinky Treasure's solution? Refocus on product excellence.
From pioneering their "Explosive Ingredients" concept to continuously innovating flavors, Stinky Treasure maintains product quality as their foundation. Their recent launch of an extra-spicy "Crazy" Liuzhou Luosifen variant demonstrates ongoing innovation that challenges industry stereotypes.
The brand further lowered trial barriers through a massive sampling campaign, understanding that market expansion requires first removing obstacles to initial adoption. This product-centric approach represents true long-term thinking—building lasting consumer relationships through quality rather than temporary hype.
Navigating Market Cycles
While brands increasingly recognize IP collaborations' potential for breakout success, consumers are growing more discerning about these partnerships. As brand lifecycles accelerate, sustaining relevance across market cycles becomes critical.
Stinky Treasure's collaboration with "Zootopia 2" offers valuable lessons: deep IP understanding, creative multi-platform engagement, authentic emotional connections, and unwavering product focus can combine to create lasting brand value beyond temporary visibility boosts.
Ultimately, in an era of ubiquitous collaborations, brands must remember that product excellence remains the most reliable foundation for sustainable success.