How Scenario‑Based Naming Turned Beverages Like Dongpeng and Master Kong Into Best‑Sellers

In today’s “liquid society,” consumers increasingly purchase a feeling or state rather than a physical product, and beverage brands are responding by renaming products to describe the consumption scenario. This scenario‑based naming has become a key breakthrough for the industry, as illustrated by Dongpeng’s "Bushu La" electrolyte water and Master Kong’s newly named drinks.

Digitalization is the engine behind this shift: big‑data analysis isolates granular consumption scenarios, digital marketing quickly reaches the relevant audience, and a flexible supply chain enables rapid iteration of multi‑SKU, scenario‑specific product matrices.

Dongpeng’s "Bushu La" exemplifies the impact—within two years the product generated over 30 billion CNY in sales by explicitly stating its purpose (hydration) and the situation (after exertion). The clear, scenario‑focused name eliminated consumer confusion and opened a large market segment.

Master Kong recently launched the "Shennong Yangfang" series, replacing ingredient‑centric names with scenario descriptors such as "Chaoqi Drink," "Qingchang Drink," and "Qingliang Drink." The renaming, together with strong digital promotion, led to regional stockouts on JD.com’s self‑operated stores.

Other brands have followed suit. Nine Yang’s "Hajimi North‑South Mung Bean Drink" achieved daily sales of 200,000 units after adopting a meme‑style name. A small, unnamed company in Yunnan sold 7,000 bottles of "Jianshou Qing" cola in five days by leveraging a viral phrase. The most striking case is the "Night‑Shift Water" (a whole‑bottle product) that sold 10,000 bottles in a single night at a convenience store in Sichuan‑Chongqing and generated nearly 90 million CNY in revenue within seven months.

The article cites sociologist Zygmunt Bauman’s “liquid society” theory to explain why consumers now prioritize the feeling a product delivers. Scenario‑based naming directly satisfies this desire by solving a concrete life problem, making the product instantly recognizable as the needed solution.

However, the author warns that a single scenario‑named product cannot sustain long‑term growth. The "Night‑Shift Water" succeeded because it matched a strong, recurring need (late‑night work), but it lacked a broader product matrix to cover related sleep‑related scenarios, leading to a short‑lived hype cycle.

To maintain momentum, brands must decompose large scenarios into atomic micro‑scenes (e.g., "night‑time gaming," "night‑time streaming," "night‑time overtime") and develop a portfolio of products that each address a specific micro‑scene. This “group‑army” approach—multiple niche products forming a cohesive matrix—allows precise targeting of diverse consumer pain points and creates sustainable incremental sales.

In summary, merely changing a name can spark an initial surge, but lasting success requires a data‑driven, scenario‑atomized product strategy that turns a single breakthrough into a comprehensive, scenario‑specific product ecosystem.