The archive · Marketing & Growth · Marketing decision · 2019
NetEase Yanxuan counters Double 11 with apologies, 20% off
NetEase Yanxuan employees apologized for complex rules, then announced storewide 20% off.
NetEase Yanxuan (网易严选)
What it had to solve
During Double 11 (双11) 2019, giants such as Tmall (天猫) and JD.com (京东) burned money on galas and subsidies; complex building-floor campaigns, spend-and-save discounts, and cross-store offers left users exhausted. NetEase Yanxuan (网易严选), with a limited budget and unwilling to follow the trend, needed a way to make a big voice with a small stake.
How it works
On Nov 6, 2019, NetEase Yanxuan released an apology video: departments apologized for complex rules, red design, only 20% off, and app crashes, ending with 'storewide 20% off'.
This was part of its counter-conventional Double 11 approach. It roasted platforms' complex discounts, then offered simple 20% off, using hashtag #Double11RoastSubVenue# to turn pain point into claim.
The apology became a hook: an H5 presented as news headline sparked curiosity and sharing. This reverse marketing became its label, from 'Only 3 items' to 'Simple Life' to 'Public Apology'.
Why it lands
- It proactively stated the brand's disadvantage (its discounts were not as aggressive as others'), and self-deprecation dissolved users' confrontational feelings.
- It targeted a real pain point: what annoyed users was not promotions, but hard-to-calculate spend-and-save rules; 'simplicity' became a differentiated claim.
- The apology video personified each department; employees appearing on camera gave the brand warmth and made it more credible than slogan-style advertising.
- A small-budget approach: instead of competing on galas and celebrities, it relied on content so users would spread it themselves.
What it did
The apology letter, framed with 'Shocking!' style news headlines, spread through curiosity, and users forwarded it voluntarily; 'simple and blunt 20% off (打8折)' precisely addressed users' dissatisfaction with complex offers. Reverse marketing became NetEase Yanxuan's regular Double 11 (双11) approach, and multiple media outlets reviewed it as a counter-conventional case.
What you can take
Users dislike complicated rules, not promotions; self-deprecation and simplicity can win attention.
Since then
On Nov 4, 2020, NetEase Yanxuan announced withdrawal from Double 11, pushing reverse marketing. It also ran 'advertisement telling you not to watch' and a breakup gift box. Apologizing and withdrawing became its techniques. Media said it made reverse marketing its label, a representative case.
Sources
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