Harbin Beer and BBDO China’s ‘Back Rack Hack’ creates colder beers and increased sales

Harbin Beer, one of China’s most well-known beer brands, generates 62.2% of its sales from mom-and-pop shops—a competitive but high-potential market (based on company data). But recently, the brand made an unexpected request to shop owners in southern Chinese towns: move Harbin Beer to the back of the fridge—a spot typically considered the least favorable for visibility and sales.

What happened next defied everything brands thought they knew about beverage fridge placement. Instead of declining, Harbin Beer’s sales surged!

Developed by BBDO China in partnership with Harbin Beer, the Back Rack Hack wasn’t just about rearranging shelf space—it reimagined the entire in-store experience. By tapping into consumer behavior insights and designing a smarter, more intuitive beer grab, Harbin Beer turned an overlooked fridge space into one of the most valuable touchpoints in retail.

For beer lovers, nothing beats an ice-cold beer on a hot day. Research confirms that chill factor is one of the biggest drivers of purchase decisions—when given the choice, consumers instinctively reach for the coldest beer available.

Yet, in China’s small street shops, especially in southern Chinese towns, refrigeration isn’t optimized. Fridges are often exposed to direct sunlight, meaning front-row beers absorb more heat while those at the back stay significantly cooler.

BBDO China’s consumer research team uncovered a key insight—when shoppers find lukewarm beers at the front, they instinctively reach deeper into the fridge for a colder one. Studies show that the back of the fridge is, on average, 6.5°C cooler than the front, making those beers significantly more refreshing.

This realization sparked the creation of the ‘Back Rack Hack’—a strategy that flipped conventional product placement. Instead of competing for front-row visibility, Harbin Beer strategically claimed the back, transforming an overlooked space into the most sought-after real estate for cold beer.

The Back Rack Hack: Smart Design Meets Strategy
The Challenge: The Coldest Beer Was Also the Hardest to Grab
While moving beer to the back ensured colder temperatures, it also introduced two challenges:
● Harder to Reach – Customers had to reach past other brands to grab Harbin Beer.
● Less Visible – Traditional retail prioritizes front placement, leaving back-row products overlooked.

The Solution: A Beer Rack Engineered for the Perfect Grab
To solve these issues, BBDO China developed a custom-designed refrigerator rack, reinventing how beer in the back is displayed and accessed:
● Raised, Ice-Mountain-Inspired Rack
Inspired by Harbin Beer’s signature ice mountain logo, the raised rack creates a clear path to the back—transforming an overlooked spot into prime real estate.
● Smart, Spring-Loaded System
A spring mechanism automatically pushes cold beers forward as one is taken, ensuring the next one is always within reach—no more digging.
● Flexible, Adaptable Design
Since not all fridges are the same, the rack was designed in left- and right-opening versions, ensuring seamless integration across different stores.
● Free for Shop Owners
Retailers only needed to place Harbin Beer at the back, and they received the system at no cost—a win-win for both stores and consumers.

To ensure maximum scalability and impact, Harbin Beer rolled out the Back Rack Hack across many stores in southern Chinese towns. The innovation was supported with:
● Fridge Exterior Branding – Bold, eye-catching visuals highlighting the coldest beer inside.
● Consumer Messaging – Posters & signage reinforcing “It’s Cooler at The Back” to drive engagement.
● Social & On-Site Activation – Inviting beer lovers to test the temperature difference themselves, sparking word-of-mouth.

This seamless mix of smart retail design, consumer insight, and behavioral psychology turned a simple fridge placement into a brand-defining moment.

Proven Success: How Smart Design Drove Real Business Impact
The Back Rack Hack didn’t just generate buzz—it delivered measurable business results:
● Sales Lift – Partner stores saw an 18.7% increase in Harbin Beer sales compared to the previous month.
● Higher Foot Traffic – Shops experienced a 20.27% rise in consumer engagement with the fridge display.
● Brand Favorability & Recall – Consumers now associate Harbin Beer with the coldest, most refreshing choice

With zero media spend, this design-first retail shift transformed both consumer behavior and business outcomes, proving that smart design is more powerful than prime placement.

“The Back Rack Hack isn’t just about product placement—it’s about rethinking how design shapes consumer behavior. By leveraging real shopper insights and intuitive design, we transformed an overlooked fridge space into a key touchpoint for engagement,” said Arthur Tsang, CCO at BBDO Greater China. “This shift reflects a larger trend in retail—where functionality and experience matter just as much as visibility. In beer sales, cold isn’t just a preference—it’s the deciding factor.”