The 'Whale Wave Award' is the first award in China aimed at consumer enterprises since the central government proposed 'demand-side reform' at the end of last year. It was jointly initiated by Whale Platform, a leading Chinese reporter and expert service platform, and ECI, a global leader in digital innovation. The award was launched on December 17, 2020, in Shanghai, with the aim of enabling 'national trend' enterprises to voice China's voice to the world. At the same time, it also aims to inspire more outstanding Chinese enterprises to eventually grow into leading global trends.
The inaugural 'Whale Wave Awards' were divided into three categories, including Leading National Trends, New Trend Forces, and Cool Cases Most Praised by Investors. Among them, the '2020 Most Investment-worthy Leading National Trends' are aimed at established brands with a long history in the consumer sector, the '2020 Most Investment-worthy New National Trends' are for emerging brands founded after 2015, while the '2020 Most Praised Investor-Covered Cool Cases of National Trends' reward enterprises that launched influential national trend brand promotion activities in 2020.
Since its inception, the 'Whale Wave Award' has attracted attention from the industry, attracting over a hundred companies to sign up for the competition. A professional judging panel composed of chief analysts from securities firms, well-known investment institutions, and brand advertising experts evaluated and scored the entries based on four dimensions: team strength, operational capability, capital strength, and growth potential, as well as case materials. Ultimately, 35 outstanding enterprises, including the domestic renowned new tea drink brand Xicha, stood out from more than a hundred candidates, with ten excellent cases selected as the '2020 Most Valued National Trend Cool Cases by Investors'.
Dr. Jia Lijun, Executive Chairman of ECI, expressed his congratulations to the winning companies in his speech on that day. He stated that with the innovation of the internet and the rise of national trends in China, a new round of consumption upgrading has been triggered. The Whale Wave Awards provide an excellent observation window for the investment and financing community.
