Read More《“主理人”遭全网群嘲，问题到底出在哪?》
Positive Comments: “Brand Managers” Were Once Important Promoters of Individuality and Cultural Value in the Coffee Industry
The rise of the concept of “brand managers” was initially an important sign of the coffee industry’s transformation from “standardization” to “individuality,” and its positive significance cannot be ignored. Against the backdrop of the upgrade of coffee consumption from “functional needs” to “cultural experience needs,” the term “brand manager” has been given labels of professionalism, independence, and attitude, becoming an emotional bond connecting coffee practitioners and consumers.
From the perspective of industry development, the “brand manager” model has broken the homogenization dilemma of the early chain coffee brands with their “identical stores.” Many coffee brand managers,凭借 their in – depth understanding of coffee (such as hand – brewing techniques, coffee bean roasting processes, and flavor pairings), combine their personal aesthetics with coffee culture to create stores with distinct styles. For example, some brand managers focus on single – origin specialty coffee and popularize the terroir knowledge of coffee beans to consumers through cupping sessions; others combine coffee with art and literature, transforming the stores into community cultural spaces. This “integration of the person and the store” model not only meets consumers’ demand for “unique experiences” but also promotes the in – depth spread of Chinese coffee culture. Data shows that from 2020 to 2023, the annual growth rate of the number of domestic specialty coffee stores exceeded 25%, and “brand managers” were important promoters of this trend.
From the perspective of consumer value, “brand managers” were once symbols of trust. In the early days, brand managers often directly participated in the operation as “product responsible persons,” controlling the whole process from bean selection, roasting to product output, and even personally communicating coffee knowledge with customers. This “transparent” and “personalized” service made consumers feel the warmth of being “valued.” For example, the brand manager of a community coffee shop in Shanghai insisted on hand – writing flavor cards for each cup of coffee, recording the origin, roast degree of the coffee beans, and recommended tasting methods. This attention to detail once made many consumers willing to pay a reasonable premium for the “brand manager’s sentiment.” It can be said that the presence of “brand managers” has injected more humanistic value into coffee consumption and also shifted the industry from “selling products” to “selling experiences.”
Negative Comments: Label Alienation, Service Disconnection, and Trust Overdraft – “Brand Managers” Are in a Value Crisis
However, when the “brand manager” has evolved from a professional symbol into a marketing label, when “individuality” has turned into “arrogance,” and when the “sentiment premium” has become a “tool for fleecing customers,” the aura of this concept has quickly faded, and even triggered collective disgust among consumers. The core contradiction of the current ridicule of “brand managers” lies in the fact that some practitioners have deviated from the business essence of “consumer – centricity,” resulting in a serious disconnect between the “label value” and the “actual experience.”
First, the “brand manager” label has been overused and has changed from a professional symbol to a “gilded vest.” In recent years, the term “brand manager” has spread from niche fields such as coffee and trendy brands to become a general label for almost all individual business operators. Those who set up stalls to sell grilled sausages claim to be “street food culture brand managers,” college students running porridge shops are ridiculed as “porridge shop brand managers,” and even individual merchants selling pork or running Cainiao stations have all adopted this label. This generalization has directly diluted the original professional attributes of the “brand manager,” turning it from an “attitude – driven industry expert” into a “marketing tool deliberately creating a sense of superiority.” Consumers’ trust in “brand managers” essentially stems from their recognition of “professional abilities.” When the label is overused and the professional value behind it is not fulfilled, consumers will naturally feel disgusted at being “played with.”
Second, the service attitude of some brand managers is arrogant, seriously out of touch with consumers’ needs. Phenomena such as “non – members cannot use the toilet,” “customers being PUA’d when ordering,” and “new customers being cold – shouldered” mentioned in the news have exposed some brand managers’ misunderstanding of the “essence of service.” The core of business is to “meet needs,” not to “screen customers.” When brand managers create “class distinctions” through reservation systems, hidden menus, and terminological barriers, and exclude ordinary consumers with the attitude of “not serving God, but only serving friends,” they are actually turning “individuality” into “privilege.” For example, a popular online coffee shop ridiculed a customer for adding an extra shot of sugar to an Americano, saying that the customer “didn’t understand coffee.” This behavior of overriding consumers’ needs with personal aesthetics not only damages the user experience but also violates the business logic of “service first.”
Third, the imbalance between the “sentiment premium” and the “actual experience” has led to the collapse of the trust economy. The premise for consumers to be willing to pay a premium for the “brand manager’s sentiment” is that the “premium” can be exchanged for “professional value” or “high – quality experience.” However, currently, some brand managers over – package their products but fail to deliver on their promises: they claim to “roast beans personally” but it’s just for show, set high prices but offer coffee with a “bland taste,” and even launch personal attacks on customers for negative reviews. This combination of “cost fraud” and “emotional fraud” has completely overdrawn consumers’ trust. As netizens complain, “Paying a 30% premium and getting a dirty look and sour and bitter coffee, who would still pay for sentiment?”
It is worth noting that in this “brand manager” controversy, some honest business owners have also been wrongly implicated. For example, a brand manager was cyber – bullied for banning excessive photography (due to customers’ behavior of changing clothes and taking pictures with suitcases, which affected business operations), and some shop owners said that it would be more appropriate to be called “boss.” This shows that what consumers resist is not the “brand manager” itself, but the “pretentiousness,” “bubble premium,” and “service failure” behind the label.
Suggestions for Entrepreneurs: Remove Labels, Emphasize Service, Strengthen Value, and Return to the Business Essence
The essence of the “brand manager” controversy is consumers’ resistance to “false marketing” and “arrogant service,” as well as an appeal for “sincere business operation” and “value equivalence.” For entrepreneurs (especially those in experience – based industries such as coffee), the following suggestions may provide inspiration:
Remove Labels and Return to the “Service Provider” Position: Labels are tools, not goals. Instead of being obsessed with the title of “brand manager,” entrepreneurs should focus on “what value I can create for consumers.” For example, if you are good at coffee roasting, you can popularize knowledge to consumers through cupping sessions; if you focus on space experience, you can optimize seat design and improve environmental comfort. Convey professionalism through practical actions rather than relying on label packaging.
Balance “Individuality” and “Universality”: Individuality is an advantage, but it should be based on respecting consumers’ needs. For example, you can set up a “hidden menu” to meet the needs of senior coffee lovers, but also keep basic items (such as Americano and Latte) to cover the needs of the general public; you can set rules such as “no excessive photography,” but you need to inform and explain the reasons in advance (such as “for the dining experience of other customers”) to avoid making consumers feel “screened” or “offended.”
Pricing Should Be in Line with Value and Reject “Sentiment Coercion”: The rationality of the premium lies in the “added value.” If you provide specialty coffee beans, hand – brewing techniques, or exclusive formulas, you can set a proper premium; but if you only rely on the “brand manager” label to raise prices without improving the product, service, or experience, you will eventually be voted out by consumers. It is recommended to conduct regular “value self – tests”: Does my pricing match the product quality? Do consumers recognize the “extra value” I provide?
Establish Positive Communication and Listen to Consumers’ Voices: What consumers dislike is not “having an attitude,” but “not communicating.” For example, when a customer orders an Americano with an extra shot of sugar, you can patiently explain, “This may affect the original flavor of the coffee. Do you need me to adjust it?” instead of directly ridiculing; when a customer complains about the coffee taste, you can actively ask about the specific feelings and improve the product output, instead of launching personal attacks. Sincere communication can resolve misunderstandings and even turn negative reviews into opportunities for optimization.
Beware of Label Generalization and Maintain a Professional Image: If you choose to call yourself a “brand manager,” you need to support the label with professional abilities. For example, regularly update coffee knowledge (such as learning new roasting techniques, keeping abreast of the dynamics of coffee bean origins), participate in industry exchanges to improve professionalism; avoid using the label in fields unrelated to your business (such as claiming to be a brand manager when selling grilled sausages at a stall) to avoid diluting your professional image.
The end of the “brand manager” controversy may mean the beginning of a more rational business era – consumers are no longer willing to pay for “over – hyped labels” but are more concerned about “real value”; entrepreneurs also need to return from “marketing tricks” to the “product essence” and win the market with professionalism, sincerity, and service. After all, the ultimate rule of business is always “whether the value you provide is needed.”
- China Uncovered”Chengdu | A Day in the “Center of the Universe””
- Startup Commentary”Just now, Altman launched GPT-5, offering “doctor-level” AI for free to everyone, but the benchmark graph errors sparked online criticism.”
- Startup Commentary”Ant Digital Technology Collaborates with Licensed Financial Institutions in Hong Kong, One-Stop Tokenization Issuance Ecosystem Takes Shape | Frontline Report”
- Chain Exploration”In – depth Research Report on Stablecoins: The Anchor Asset for the Next Round of Financial Transformation”
- Startup Commentary”In the 19.9-yuan roast duck, there lies Chinese magic that the West can’t learn.”
