With the growing consumer demand of the new generation of parent-child families, indoor parent-child entertainment has gradually become a standard feature of large commercial complexes. Nailbao, hailed as the "Hermès" of the children's industry, is making a high-profile attempt to redefine parent-child playgrounds.

Why? Let's take a look from the perspective of industry development and brand positioning.

1. Traditional children's playgrounds fail to meet upgraded needs

Traditional children's playgrounds are relatively small and scattered, with most projects consisting of simple climbing frames. Children play inside, while parents can only sit on the sidelines and "observe." They are becoming increasingly homogeneous and losing their appeal.

In early 2024, Xiaohongshu and Xinhua Net jointly released the "Xiaohongshu Parents Observation Report," with relaxed parenting, being a non-spoiling parent, and treating children as companions becoming the new parenting philosophy of the new generation of parents. The new generation of parents have higher demands for aesthetics, quality, and brand power.

In traditional children's playgrounds, parents only act as safety guards for their children, sitting on small chairs watching them play. However, as paying customers of the children's playground, parents themselves do not enjoy it. Chen Yandan, who longed to have coffee with her girlfriends while easily taking care of her child, wondered why these two things couldn't be combined.

So, she began to explore a new type of playground that could meet both children's play needs and parents' social needs.

2. Children's playgrounds without "brand power" cannot enter high-end shopping malls

The positioning and grading of shopping malls are determined by the level of the brands. Traditional indoor children's playgrounds have a low degree of branding, and malls consider them as supplementary rather than destinations with strong appeal.

But in Chen Yandan's eyes, Nailbao should become the Disney of city children's playgrounds. Either don't do it, or if you do, make it the "Hermès" of the industry. This is the only way for Nailbao to refresh the "stereotype" of indoor children's playgrounds.

Nailbao first proposed the concept of "focusing on scene experience and creating a '1+N' integrated business model," developing in the direction of "education through entertainment." It not only caters to the diverse needs of parent-child play and self-socialization, but also enhances user experience and meets the deeper needs of consumers, successfully obtaining investment from leading domestic capitals such as Tencent and Shunwei.

However, one of the biggest challenges at the beginning of the venture was how to demonstrate to the public that Nailbao, with its product strength, could rank among the high-end segment of indoor children's playgrounds.

How did Nailbao's brand journey go? Let's take a look.

In the wave of experiential consumption, the new generation of parents have a strong willingness to pay for novel scenes and experiential services. But to create the "Hermès" of indoor playgrounds, it is necessary to develop according to the thinking and model of luxury brands.

1. Occupying high-end communities, targeting high-end customer groups

Since it is positioned as a high-end luxury brand, occupying a prominent C position in high-end shopping malls, it is first necessary to target the middle-to-high-end customer group. This customer group often includes high-net-worth families who have higher aspirations for their children's education and growth environment.

Nailbao's first store was located in the Xinghewan commercial street in Minhang, Shanghai. The founder "lavishly" spent 50 million yuan to build two buildings here, because this area with an average price of 80,000 yuan is surrounded by high-end residential buildings, closer to the target customer group, making brand recognition easier to establish.

Nailbao's appearance in Xinghewan greatly increased the popularity of this commercial street, leading to a phenomenon of "one shop hard to find." From then on, Nailbao had a "ticket" to enter the high-end commercial centers of first-tier cities. In 2021, Nailbao accelerated its expansion, successively deploying in four cities: Shenzhen, Nanjing, Chengdu, and Shanghai. It became a main store in shopping malls, becoming a "high-quality customer flow engine" for the malls.

In terms of location selection, Nailbao has always targeted high-end communities. In 2022, Nailbao Science and Technology Museum opened in the double-A plot of Shanghai AI PLAZA West Bund Phoenix Nest, adjacent to the "Vertical Silicon Valley" AI Tower West Bund Smart Tower. This is an artificial intelligence ecological community, gathering the most cutting-edge R&D talents. The location of Nailbao Science and Technology Museum here continuously sends out signals of "high-end" and "leading-edge".

2. Products, services, aesthetics, and experience are top-notch

Beyond targeting the high-end market, Nairbao also strives for the highest standards in various aspects, including products and content.

A new species of children's playground, redefining the industry

Nairbao focuses on a "composite business model," featuring areas for older children, a library, and party venues, creating an all-in-one parent-child space for "playing, learning, entertainment, shopping, and dining."

Nairbao's recreational projects combine five major areas: scientific cognition, language expression, artistic appreciation, physical fitness, and global humanities. Taking the Guangzhou Yuehui City store as an example, there is the "Time-Space Tunnel Drift," a dreamlike blend of sound, light, and mist; the "Super Mud Pit," allowing children to be little explorers in a real environment; and "Global Food Education," where children can try their hand at cooking. There's also a fitness city, a Barbie doll area, a theater world, a library area, and a toddler crawling area, catering to the recreational needs of children of different ages.

This is not only a space for children to release energy but also a place for parents to recharge. It offers a workspace for dual-income parents and a trendy dining area, allowing fashionable mothers to enjoy afternoon tea.

Exceptional details, showcasing the distinguished service of a star-rated hotel

To showcase its high-end brand image, Nairbao considers service quality its core competitiveness, reflecting the thoughtful service of a star-rated hotel in every detail. It selects top brands for consumers to use, from imported carpets, premium fragrances, and designer daily necessities to international, original children's toys and elegant background music. Furthermore, to allow parents to "easily take their children out," without having to carry heavy diaper bags, Nairbao provides all kinds of baby products free of charge.

At the same time, considering children's safety, Nairbao has also customized parent-child positioning bracelets. Parents can use their mobile phones to view their children's whereabouts in real-time, effectively preventing children from getting lost. Staff members in the venue monitor the children's activities at each project to ensure their safety.

Beyond imagination, bold "luxury style" color scheme

When it comes to the color scheme of luxury goods, the vibrant Hermès orange and logo define Hermès aesthetics. Drawing inspiration from luxury brand aesthetics, Nairbao is the first to use the Morandi color system and the French macaron style in children's settings, precisely capturing the aesthetic preferences of young parents, especially young mothers.

Unique experiences that command a premium

Nairbao's exclusive simulated city system allows children to gain occupational experiences unavailable in traditional children's playgrounds through interactive occupational simulations. It's a miniature "Truman Show" and an adult's amplified version of "playing house." Therefore, Nairbao has become the preferred parent-child playground brand for parents.

In the age of social media, the number of photo opportunities determines the popularity of a venue. Nairbao also has party rooms with various themes, including national style, new Chinese style, and dreamy series, creating a strong sense of ritual and atmosphere. For event preparation, the park's party planners provide one-stop service, allowing participants to simply show up.

Luxury goods are so proud not only because their products are impeccable but also because they create "scarcity" and focus on emotional connections with high-end and elite customers.

1. Celebrity effect: Spokesperson + celebrity same style

Every move of a luxury brand attracts attention, and with the celebrity effect, the heat and buzz are instantly amplified.

Nairbao invited Maye Musk, mother of Tesla founder Elon Musk, to be the spokesperson for the "Nairbao Science Museum." Musk's status is well-known, and inviting his mother as a spokesperson aligns with the high-end image and values while also attracting attention.

In addition, Nairbao has invited numerous celebrities such as Xi Mengyao, the couple Yan Yikuan and his wife, Qi Wei, Tong Liya, and Lei Jiayin. The celebrity effect successfully translates into brand commercial value.

2. Cross-industry IP collaboration, continuously enhancing Nairbao's image

Nairbao has successively collaborated with well-known high-end brands such as Swisse, Acqua di Parma, Ferragamo, and Aurena; it has also collaborated with brands in the fashion, tourism, and toy industries. In 2021, Nairbao's collaboration with Pop Mart launched customized Pop Mart images and peripherals, breaking down the barriers between parent-child and trendy circles online and offline.

The Nairbao Children's Science Museum collaborated with NIO to develop interactive experiences such as "Children's Power Exchange Station" and "Collision Experiments." The brand also invited representatives from the technology field to give public science lectures, leveraging leading technology companies to enhance Nairbao's science section.

3. Becoming the "social calling card for target families"

No social media, no marketing. In today's world where everything is social, Nairbao stands out with its high-value, creative scenes, and high-quality service. Taking photos, checking in, showing off children, and sharing on social media platforms. Searching for "Nairbao" on social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu reveals a variety of high-quality planting and check-in content, proving that Nairbao has attracted the attention of a large number of young parents.

Nairbao uses the logic of luxury goods to build its brand, setting a new benchmark for the children's playground industry. This bold innovation has undoubtedly attracted enthusiastic support from a large number of middle-to-high-end families. However, in the long run, how significant is the sense of luxury in their purchasing and repurchase behavior?

1. "Luxury" perception is not deeply rooted.

Most luxury goods have undergone decades or even centuries of development and accumulation. Nairbao is a young brand established in 2017, and it is still in its early stages for a luxury brand.

On social media platforms, Nairbao's posts rarely mention luxury-related topics, focusing more on reviews, promotional activities, and event updates.

Although Nairbao has collaborated with several high-end brands, its brand influence is relatively weak among a wider consumer base, especially those with a deep understanding of luxury goods. This leads many people to have insufficient understanding of Nairbao's positioning and characteristics, making it difficult to associate it with luxury goods.

2. There are many competitors in the same segment, and Nairbao has not cultivated a sense of admiration.

Intuitively, Nairbao's greatest strength lies in its aesthetics, but many indoor children's playgrounds in third- and fourth-tier cities across the country have been imitating it for many years.

On social media, parents who share their "play experiences" often compare Meland and Nairbao. There are many competitors at the same level, and Nairbao's ability to cultivate a sense of "admiration" is clearly insufficient.

Later entrants such as Meland and Panxiaobao also offer a wealth of parent-child activities, high-quality facilities, similar design styles, and professional services, making the market competition extremely fierce.

3. Lack of its own IP, lack of rare social symbols

Although Nairbao is positioned as the "Disney" of the children's playground industry. However, Disney's ability to become a world-renowned theme park is largely due to its strong IP influence. Whether it's classic animated characters, movie stories, or derivative toys and clothing, they are all deeply loved by consumers.

At present, Nairbao has not yet produced an IP, nor does it have any obvious social symbols. Nairbao's competitor, Panxiaobao, performs slightly better in terms of IP. Through its independently developed and created IP animation "Panxiaobao," it has successfully created a series of derivative trendy toys, attracting the attention of a large number of consumers.

4. High investment costs, strenuous operation, relying on discounts and benefits to attract consumers.

It is undeniable that Nairbao has demonstrated outstanding performance in brand marketing in the industry, becoming a major store in major shopping malls and gaining recognition from capital and consumers in the market.

However, behind the successful brand marketing is the operational pressure brought about by long-term high investment costs. Nairbao's expenditure on venue rental, facility maintenance, employee salaries, and marketing promotion is enormous, putting enormous pressure on its operation and return on investment cycle.

In order to attract more consumers, Nairbao has to frequently conduct various marketing promotions across channels, such as launching a promotional activity where a single ticket for one adult and one child is as low as 99 yuan. However, frequent promotional activities are the opposite of building a luxury brand.

Under the trend of consumption upgrades, Nairbao has indeed refreshed consumers' traditional perception of indoor children's playgrounds in terms of products and brand image. But in the face of the children's essential need of "play," children's playgrounds are still a down-to-earth business, not something unattainable.

Although Nairbao is building a high-end aesthetic and brand image. But in the real market environment, the urgency of customer acquisition and customer repurchase rate far outweigh the creation of a luxury brand positioning.