This is the second week at Guizhou, and I’ve begun to feel and indulge into the rhythm of the village. The internet connection at this village is really poor, to the extent that I have difficulties receiving and sending messages. However, this unique opportunity does pull me away from cell phones and Internet, pushing me to use my senses to understand nature. This week, I attempted several mountain walkings with other peers. It is really nice to see the views, learn about plants and animals, and let my pace slow down. 

Marketing the Memory, Not Just the Product

Moving on to more project-related discussions, this week, our meetings centred on how to enrich the storytelling behind the local agricultural products. It’s tempting to reduce a product to its functional attributes - its freshness, nutritional value, or place of origin. But we believe that what truly captivates people is the emotional narrative surrounding it.

Take the local rice variety, for instance. Instead of simply stating that it’s organic or locally grown, we envisioned short videos or livestreams that teach viewers how to make rice porridge the way grandma does, or how to prepare delicate rice cakes for a family festival. These aren’t mere marketing strategies - they are also vital cultural expressions. They connect the rice not just to the body, but to the heart, turning a transaction into a memory.

Bringing Theory to the Fields: A Branding Workshop

As a student of Economics and Management, I’ve learned about different frameworks and theories of marketing and brand establishment. I found it would be useful to share these theories and ideas with my team, so this week, I volunteered to lead a seminar session and share my insights. 

Drawing from Aaker’s Brand Equity Model, I explained the core dimensions of building strong brands: brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality, and brand loyalty. I brought in real-life relatable case studies in China to exemplify how this model can be used for analysing brand strategies. To make the session interactive, I invited other participants to share their favourite brands, and reflect on how those brands shaped their identity or purchasing choices. Some spoke about

I was genuinely touched by how engaged everyone was, and the positive feedback made me feel delightful and encouraged. It reminds me that knowledge, when shared with care, can empower others to see new possibilities. It also gives me the courage to share more experiences and knowledge next time. 

Brainstorming Begins: From Thoughts to Plans

With enough background experiences and knowledge seminars, we began our first group brainstorming sessions to develop new marketing strategies for the local agricultural products. We decided to start with what’s most accessible - creating posters and promotional videos that are both visually compelling and emotionally resonant.

Our vision is to craft materials that reflect not only the products, but also the people and the place behind them. We want to capture the stories behind each harvest, and the beauty of rural life. This way, the promotion doesn’t feel like it is selling something - it feels like it’s inviting people into a way of life.

Next week, we plan to turn these brainstorms into action: filming, designing, and editing. It is very exciting as we know we’re now on the right path.