A Shenzhen-based company registered its name as Lanshouxianggu, which literally means blue thin chestnut mushroom, on Oct. 13.
The name itself has raised enough confusion among Chinese networking site users. To make it even more puzzling, the company is not involved in the business concerning mushrooms, let alone blue thin chestnut mushroom. Instead, it operates in the manufacturing, trade and engineering industry. The choice of trademark has therefore left users in a mix of bewilderment and awe. The word has since become an online trend.
From a marketing standpoint, the move can be seen as a way of penetrating mainstream media. Although the reasons behind the company's choice is unclear, it sure did tap a button that made ripples across the Internet, a phenomenon that could greatly impact the company's current state.
In recent months, a number of companies have taken advantage of the popularity of Internet memes and made efforts to register them as trademarks in an attempt to absorb some of the momentum created by these viral sensations.
In August, honghuangzhili and zhuantayigeyi were both registered as trademarks several days after they went viral. The former was used by Chinese Olympic medalist Fu Yuanhui trying to indicate that she had exhausted all her strength.
Honghuangzhili means pre-historical force. Zhuantayigeyi, on the other hand, was used by Dalian Wanda Group's Wang Jianlin as part of his advice to "start out small," which, for the China's wealthiest man, meant setting a small target first, like earning 100 million yuan ($15 million). This has made enough spark to set Chinese social media on fire.
The reference to lanshouxianggu came after a video of a man speaking in Mandarin with his strong local accent and complaining to his girlfriend went viral.
In the video, the man repeatedly cries out lanshou, which means upset, and xianggu, which means wanna cry. His local accent and his vibe ironically gave the video a humorous feel which clicked with social media users. Some even had his face photoshopped on a blue mushroom that instantly turned him into a sensational meme.