Rio, Hero team up to produce ink-themed cocktail

Chinese alcopop beverage brand Rio will soon release an ink-themed cocktail through a tie-up with Shanghai-based pen and ink producer Hero.

Preorders will be available from mid-May exclusively on Tmall, China's largest online retailer. Only 5,000 sets of drinks will be up for grabs in the first round of the rollout.

The pair has worked closely on product design and innovations on scent and flavor, said Tang Huimin, director of digital retail business at Rio.

"An online channel is the best way to keep us abreast with the latest customer trends. Such crossover collaboration also marks one fresh step to acquire new customers," she said.

The interesting yet vintage design aims to pique the interests of those born in the 1990s and after, which aligns with Hero's predilection to tap into a younger generation of customers who aspire to be trendsetters, said Dong Wenbin, general manager of Shanghai Hero Pen Co.

The duo is bridged by Tmall through an initiative to revitalize time-honored brands in China. They leverage on the internet giant to distill customer insights and launch marketing campaigns.

Last year, 120-year-old cosmetics brand Jahwa partnered with Rio to launch a cocktail featuring its fragrance of Six God Floral Water, which is arguably China's most popular mosquito repellent.

According to Tang, Rio saw monthly sales 'explode' when the limited-edition drink hit the market in June, with 92 percent of sales contributed by first-time buyers.