How to Approach Brand Building: A Brief Analysis Using Chengdu Dadi Hank as an Example

The boss expects immediate results from an advertising investment—or else, the investment will be cut off right away.

 

An article spreads, but with low engagement—this makes the boss think the writer lacks sufficient skill, potentially shaking confidence in brand building.

 

A creatively designed, aesthetically pleasing advertisement that, when shown to clients, still leaves them saying it makes no sense. Such recurring instances of brand-building often leave agri-food planners feeling awkward and embarrassed.

 

In the future, market competition will be an era defined by brand rivalry. It is the responsibility and duty of agricultural and pastoral planners to identify breakthrough opportunities and build strong brands—more importantly, this ability will become your greatest asset in determining your future value.

 

How can we balance the conflicting dynamics of brand building? And how can we skillfully approach the task of developing agricultural and pastoral brands? This article offers a brief analysis, drawing from insights gained in the brand-building journey of the Dadi Hank brand, focusing on dimensions such as mindset, entry strategy, direction, passion, and persistence.

 

Here, "agriculture and animal husbandry" refers more specifically to feed additive, feed, feed machinery companies, and livestock farms—not to agriculture and animal husbandry in a broader sense.

 

I. Today, China's journey in developing agricultural and pastoral brands can still be described as being in the early stages.

The main manifestations of this initial stage:

 

1. In the truest sense, very few agricultural and pastoral enterprises have successfully built their brands through strategic brand management. Some large companies are either the result of historical development—more often, a mere accumulation of reputation—or they’ve grown rapidly by relying on short-term, high-volume sales strategies, mistakenly believing that simply boosting sales and making their company name well-known automatically equates to having a strong brand.

 

2. Fragmented operational approaches to agricultural and pastoral branding are widespread. Why systematic thinking is lacking in areas such as "why build a brand," "what kind of brand to create," and "how to effectively execute the brand strategy"—instead, brands are often pieced together haphazardly, with just a little bit done wherever it seems convenient. The "brand-building block" approach has become all too common.

 

3. The development of agricultural and pastoral brands has seen a severe polarization. Large agricultural and pastoral enterprises, which place significant emphasis on branding, are the majority, while most small and medium-sized businesses adopt a "cold" attitude toward branding. Although branding requires companies to implement operational principles such as standardization, normalization, and uniformity, SMEs believe these measures would entail high costs, leading them to abandon brand-building altogether in favor of focusing on customer relationships instead.

 

4. Even in large-scale agri-business enterprises, the overall brand expression—ranging from conceptual identity and visual communication to media strategies—still struggles to match the standards seen in other industries. This isn’t about deliberately conducting an unfair "industry comparison," but rather highlights that the agricultural sector as a whole is still in its early stages when it comes to brand positioning: brand research and analysis, along with precise market positioning, often rely more on fragmented data gleaned from the internet and small-scale, localized market simulations—lacking the comprehensive, systematic strategies typically employed by professionals in fields like marketing research and brand positioning.

 

5. The phenomenon of brand imitation is particularly severe. Compared to other industries, the agricultural and livestock sectors—whether in terms of their brands' historical backgrounds or the target audiences they aim to reach—differ significantly from fast-moving consumer goods, finance, real estate, and automotive brands, which we frequently encounter. Yet, all too often, agricultural and livestock brands end up rigidly copying the messaging strategies of these other industries. A small and simple example: slogans that mimic industry leaders, such as "global sales far ahead of the competition," are strikingly common.

 

II. The main reasons behind these phenomena:

1. Agricultural and pastoral enterprises caught in the "desktop rhetoric": Many business managers, including some corporate leaders, often praise how well other brands have built their identities—pointing out, "Look at how great their brands are; we should do the same." Yet, when it comes to actual implementation, these intentions rarely materialize, primarily due to cost considerations. Relying solely on cost calculations, however, is by no means a sustainable path for long-term business growth. In fact, the future of competition in the agricultural and pastoral sectors will increasingly hinge on branding. As trends toward intensification, industrialization, and scaling continue to gain momentum—and as the next generation of agricultural consumers, such as the post-90s cohort, becomes more brand-conscious—the era of businesses operating purely through personal relationships will gradually fade away.

 

2. There is a shortage of specialized brand talent or third-party brand consultants. Most agri-businesses only have a "fragmented, rudimentary version" of their brand—typically hiring a single designer to handle packaging, create simple posters, manage WeChat posts for public engagement, and occasionally edit the company newsletter. Yet, this approach stems solely from a "narrow, superficial perspective" focused on brand communication, resulting in a "superficial understanding" of the brand rather than a strategic, forward-thinking assessment of its true potential. Consequently, when it comes to brand-building, these companies often fail to pinpoint the core essence of their brand identity—and miss the opportunity to effectively articulate and convey its authentic message.

 

3. Multi-dimensional Brand Entry

Most agri-business enterprises are striving to follow a "cost-effectiveness" brand strategy—doing 100 yuan's worth of work for just 1 yuan. In fact, especially given the prevalence of small- and medium-sized agri-businesses, particularly in the feed industry, this approach proves to be a viable solution.

 

However, building agricultural and pastoral brands should first shed the "cold-brand mindset"—the notion that a brand is a complex, system-wide endeavor achieved only through high costs. In fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead, correctly understanding what a brand truly means and boldly committing to brand-building efforts are the very first steps toward innovating agricultural and pastoral brands. The philosophy behind these brands should emphasize sharper awareness, precise targeting, clear direction-setting, less emphasis on emotional appeals, and unwavering persistence in pursuing excellence.

 

Mindful awareness It serves as a reminder to the builders of agricultural and pastoral brands: we can no longer afford to remain complacent. The internet will accelerate the pace of branding and brand-building across industries. Time waits for no one—so in this era of brand trends, even if you can’t yet call yourself an exceptional captain, at least strive to become a sailor who won’t be swept away by the waves.

 

For instance, in terms of brand channels, companies like New Hope, Dabeinong, and Muyang have all embarked on internet-based explorations—perhaps they may not immediately become the "Alibaba" of their industries, but they’ve already taken early steps to secure a foothold, staying alert to the industry’s evolving demands and always ready for what’s next.

 

In the internet age, this awareness should also include the following:

 

(1) Don't become self-absorbed—you need to truly understand your customers (how many of your customers are actually in your social circle?).

 

(2) Pursuing trending topics should never cross the moral boundary—after all, what remains with customers in the end is only superficiality when trying to grab attention.

 

(3) Don't engage in public disputes with competitors (there’s already a precedent in the agricultural and livestock industry).

 

Precise entry , conduct precise analysis, positioning, and communication—don’t simply follow the crowd; instead, forge your own unique identity. This distinctiveness has two key dimensions: first, your brand’s core message itself must be distinctive; second, your approach to communicating that message should also stand out. When these two elements come together, they complement each other beautifully, creating a powerful competitive edge.

 

Grand Emperor Hank clearly understands that, as a small enterprise in the vast agriculture and livestock industry, the future will undoubtedly belong to brand competition. So, how can we break through the constraints of limited brand capital and scarce talent?

 

Grand Emperor Hank has recently begun incorporating brand messaging from major players in other industries as well as the agricultural and livestock sectors. He noticed that most companies simply emphasize: "Our company is a leader in the industry, our products offer unparalleled functionality, and we’ve earned the highest possible honors and countless quality certifications." While Grand Emperor Hank also highlights these points—albeit subtly as just one aspect of his brand strategy—he quickly realized that relying solely on such conventional approaches would inevitably make his brand seem generic and fail to capture attention, let alone build trust with customers. Instead, he shifted focus toward the people within the company—their passion, dedication, and the invaluable wisdom and effort they pour into both the business and its products. It’s precisely this human energy and authenticity that breathe life into the brand’s message, giving it a vibrant, relatable edge. In essence, storytelling has become the key entry point for initiating and nurturing the brand’s identity. Over time, this approach has evolved into a distinctive brand culture that resonates deeply with audiences. And here’s the kicker: Grand Emperor Hank doesn’t spend exorbitant sums buying ad space or traditional media platforms to promote these stories. Instead, he relies heavily on word-of-mouth marketing—spreading the narrative directly from customer to customer—and leverages today’s powerful digital channels, where authentic, peer-to-peer communication thrives.

 

In fact, in a situation where most small and medium-sized agricultural and pastoral enterprises are reluctant to invest heavily in brand building, it is crucial for planners to identify the right entry point for brand development.

 

What is the entry point? — Since each company has a different cultural background, varying brand talent structures (including unique strengths), and other distinct factors, the entry point naturally differs as well.

 

Controlling the direction is crucial—after all, the right brand approach isn’t about showcasing personalized visuals or pursuing ineffective creativity. Instead, the overarching goal of your brand should be to facilitate meaningful communication and engagement between your business, your products, and your customers.

 

The storytelling we talked about earlier—no matter how exciting the story may be, what does it have to do with the customer? If it’s irrelevant to the customer, how can it facilitate communication and, ultimately, drive marketing efforts? This is the other side of the Da Di Hank brand: We refuse to engage in "closed-door" branding strategies. Instead, we’ve established rigorous evaluation plans and guidelines, mandating that our creative team spends half of their annual work hours accompanying marketing professionals on field visits. There, they directly interact with target customer groups, gathering firsthand market insights. That’s why Da Di Hank never simply copies advertising slogans from other industries; instead, we start entirely from the customers’ needs, constantly redefining our brand’s core message. In essence, our brand proactively adapts to the market—anticipating what customers truly desire—while ensuring that our stories remain authentic and cohesive, seamlessly connecting both ourselves and our intended audience. We avoid the trap of self-delusion, where brands try to impose their own visions onto the market when, in fact, the market is already shaping them.

 

It's particularly important to note that once the right direction has been established, we should then pursue vertical expansion. For instance, our target audience isn't limited to just CEOs or technical directors—every year, Dadi Hank also organizes engaging storytelling events that bring us directly to agricultural and animal husbandry universities, reaching students who are either already entering or soon-to-enter the industry. Additionally, Dadi Hank actively provides students with internship opportunities, invites them to visit and learn from leading enterprises, offers scholarships, and even extends as much support as possible in helping them complete their graduation projects and experiments.

 

Why direct our energy toward these students who show no product action—and even offer them experimental support? We’ve done the math: from freshman year all the way through doctoral graduation—up to 12 years—is the perfect window to cultivate habits and foster dependency (brand loyalty). This kind of brand engagement subtly plants the seeds of awareness about DaDi Hank products in their minds, or perhaps even instills the brand’s core values deeply within them for the future.

 

Talk less about sentimentality. Perhaps influenced by the trend of "companies selling culture," some agricultural and pastoral enterprises, in their brand-building processes, have overly emphasized cultural elements—sometimes even misinterpreting the very essence of culture—and played the emotional appeal card, hoping to cultivate customer loyalty toward their brands.

 

Numerous brand behavior studies, both domestically and internationally, have found that quality is the core and irreplaceable element in overall brand building—far more so than fragmented cultural attributes. Customers typically use quality as the primary benchmark for evaluating a brand’s strengths or weaknesses, and this critical factor even extends to other aspects of the brand. In other words, if customers perceive a brand as lacking in quality, its other dimensions will inevitably suffer as well, giving rise to what’s known as the "comet effect."

 

Great Emperor Hank deeply understands that achieving profits is a company’s primary objective, and driving this success hinges on product quality—never on culture. At the heart of customer purchasing decisions lies quality. The 300-acre animal application testing facility is Great Emperor Hank’s commitment to delivering uncompromising product quality. Strong evidence—demonstrated through collaboration with universities, third-party research institutions, and researchers from our customers in the application of this product. On the platform, we objectively and truthfully demonstrate and prove: Emperor Hank’s product quality is truly reliable! Compared to other companies that merely "claim their position as industry leaders," our brand messaging is far more grounded, practical, and effective—putting it another way, while most brands still rely on flashy ads to convince customers of their product quality, Emperor Hank has already given customers a tangible, hands-on experience with the real thing.

 

But no matter which approach to quality expression we adopt, we should recognize that quality should occupy a central position throughout the entire brand value chain—embrace this mindset, and take your brand all the way.

 

Obsessive persistence. Here, the brand emphasizes that I actually want to highlight its sustainability even more. After all, customers’ minds tend to have selective memory—or perhaps a tendency to forget. Even brands with the highest levels of recognition—especially those their customers truly love—can feel unfamiliar if they disappear from view for a while and then reappear. That’s why it’s crucial for us to strengthen our connection and communication with customers at all times, ensuring that when it’s time for them to make a purchasing decision, our brand remains top-of-mind.

 

However, the agricultural and livestock industry currently exhibits characteristics of high turnover and instability among brand professionals and brand departments, as well as uncertainty in decision-makers' brand-oriented thinking. This creates a "magical" quality to the brand—ever-changing, sometimes present yet fleeting, fluctuating between strength and weakness—ultimately leading to negative emotions among customers, such as feelings of instability, unreliability, insecurity, and vulnerability to loss.

 

Since 1992, Great Emperor Hank has consistently upheld the brand's unwavering commitment to consistency. For instance, "Voice of the Earth," though a small-scale brand platform, has never skipped an issue—neither during its inception nor throughout its history—despite facing significant challenges along the way. Instead, it has always made its way directly into the hands of customers—precisely to keep the Great Emperor Hank brand firmly etched in their minds: "You can't forget me, no matter how high your recognition may be." This is precisely why many peers in the industry admire Great Emperor Hank, marveling at how the company persistently continues even with what might seem like minor yet essential tasks.