☕️ Good morning, friends,

Here in China (where else) the first Olympic Games for robots have just wrapped up.

You really have to see how the robots bash each other’s heads in and then get carried off on stretchers by medics (made of flesh and blood).

P.S. Some time ago Thomas spoke with Prof. Philipp Boeing, one of the most sought-after experts on China and innovation. Die Zeit (German) has now interviewed him, and his assessments are a wake-up call for Germany and Europe.

BENCHMARKS

NUMBER OF THE DAY

+34%

This is the increase in market value of Nongfu Spring, China's largest bottled water company, over the past year. This puts it in third place globally behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

🚀 Brand Value Surge: Nongfu Spring’s brand value rose to USD 11.1 billion, making it the first Chinese brand to break into the global Top 3 of non-alcoholic drinks. Coca-Cola remains in the lead at USD 46.3 billion, followed by Pepsi at USD 22.6 billion.

🌏 Asia’s Benchmark Brand: With 15 proprietary water sources, an AAA+ rating in the Brand Strength Index, and a 37% stock price increase since the beginning of the year, Nongfu Spring now boasts a market capitalization of around USD 66 billion.

Watch: Chinese consumer brands are conquering global rankings, and Nongfu Spring’s success highlights the growing soft power of Chinese brands in the premium segment.

TOP BIT

🎬 Mobile Dramas: Billion-Dollar Business in Vertical Format

Micro-dramas already made headlines in China in 2024: with 50 billion CNY (6.9 billion USD) in revenue, they surpassed the film industry for the first time.

Now these minute-long, vertically shot series are drawing audiences and capital worldwide. Apps are climbing US charts, producers are churning out shoots in Los Angeles and London, and the format is becoming a new lever for cultural influence in global entertainment.

The Details

📲 App Boom: In Q1 2025, short-drama apps logged more than…