Ever wondered how the Quotations from Chairman Mao started as an internal military handbook and became a blockbuster advice guide with total copies in print rivaling the Bible?

Our curiosity got the better of us during the China National Day (October 1st) Golden Week, so we decided to investigate the phenomenon of Mao’s Little Red Book as a product marketing case study and conduct an open experiment (acknowledging the imperfect nature of such comparisons) following the lifecycle of the “Mao brand” from inception to its peak of popularity. Welcoming your input, we offer this template as a starting point:

1931 / Brand “Soft Launch”

Mao Zedong was proclaimed Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Soviet Republic of China, and later, Chairman of the Politburo, Chairman of the Military Commission, Chairman of the Communist Party, and so on.

1934 / Brand Enhancement

Mao consolidated power and built key alliances in the crucible of the Long March. The subsequent victories over the Japanese and the Nationalists added to his aura of invincibility, as a soldier immune to death and injury.

1949 / Brand Launch

Chairman Mao takes center stage on the Gate of Heavenly Peace at Tiananmen on 1 October 1949 to found the People’s Republic of China, with over 300,000 Chinese in the Square hoping to catch a glimpse of his godlike image.

1964 / Product Test Marketing

200 Quotations From Chairman Mao is first published for internal circulation within the People’s Liberation Army containing 200 pithy quotations drawn from his many speeches. The original booklet was neither little nor red. With Mao now in semi-retirement, and his comrades running the show, this publication succeeded in “refreshing” his most memorable sayings within the hearts and minds of the PLA.

1966 / Product Wide Launch

Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung (毛主席语录 Máo Zhǔxí Yǔlù) is officially published for a mass market audience with the goal of reaching 99% of the population. Total quotations are increased to 427 and the book is approved for export. Recognizing the need for portability, publishers release a red vinyl cover pocket version which becomes an instant hit with Red Guards, earning its “Little Red Book” nickname. On National Day 1966, 1.5 million people (up 5x from 1949) gather around the Gate of Heavenly Peace to listen to Chairman Mao, almost everyone there holding the book.