Why are Chinese people wearing green fish heads?

Unreliable and funny is becoming a new trend. At the end of 2020 Chinese e commerce giant, Taobao, organized an “Outrageous New Year Competition”, inviting everyone to share the most outrageous Chinese New Year products they have seen on Taobao. Whether it’s for eating, wearing, using or playing, all can participate, as long as the more outrageous the better.

Taobao also organized the “Taobao Ugly Thing Awards” in conjunction with the “Douban Ugly Thing Protection Association Group”. Green fish mask, tiger climbing pantyhose, alien figurine, and 3D long-legged kite are among the top items.

The Ugly and Outrageous New Year Festival represents a new attitude, with the main purpose being to attract young people and stir internet engagement. To put it simply, although these things are beyond the practicality and aesthetic value of normal commodities, they can arouse topicality, attract widespread attention and discussion among young people, thus their purpose has been achieved.

When the post-90s and post-00s became a major consumer market, they were found to have more emotional expectations for products and brands. What Taobao tries to do is meet the emotional needs of a new generation of young consumers in addition to basic consumption.

Searching for “net celebrity mask” on Taobao, the top of the list is the “green fish headgear” in the 2020 Ugly Thing Awards. The monthly sales of the first few stores have exceeded 10,000.

Turning to the comment area of these products, consumers’ comments are mostly described as “interesting” and “fun”. Compared with other products, the interaction between this category of products and users is much stronger.

Young people nowadays are willing to pay for “interesting.”

Commodity value is mainly divided into two types, one is practical value, and the other is emotional value. Exotic products satisfy consumers’ curiosity, entertainment and are a fun way to capture the hearts of consumers willing to pay for it.

Douyin and other social media platforms generate huge traffic. Internet celebrities also have a hand in popularizing “green fish headgear” through short videos, stickers, comedy sketches, and the like. It is with this social media communication that these commodities can attract people’s attention and boost brand awareness.