Chinese food delivery service http Ele.me deployed six Unitree robots across popular spots in Hangzhou on May 6, including Xixi and Zijin Tianjie malls, to promote its services through an air-land-sea themed campaign, which also featured drones and helicopters. “We aimed to highlight Hangzhou’s tech appeal with a bold, city-themed ad,” the company said (our translation). The campaign coincides with owner Alibaba’s recent upgrade of Taobao’s instant retail service from “Hourly Delivery” to “Taobao Flash Sale,” a name change which officially launched May 2. The move also saw all Alibaba instant retail efforts unified under the Taobao Flash Sale unit, with Ele.me providing logistical support for non-food deliveries in addition to its core business. Taobao Flash Sale is offering major consumer subsidies totaling more than RMB 10 billion, including free orders and coupons, as part of promotions around the new name. Partnering with top brands and city warehouses, the plan is for the service to offer rapid delivery from some 200 flagship stores using Ele.me established network of delivery drivers. [iThome, in Chinese]
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