Why did a police coffee stall in Ningbo draw a crowd?

The Jiangbei Branch of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau set up a POLICE COFFEE stall at a creative market, with officers making the coffee themselves. The theme was "Have you anti-fraud today?" and the goal was to reach young people through coffee culture. Cup stickers carried slogans, gifts were tailored by age group, and free coffee was offered in exchange for collecting likes.

Officers also guided visitors to download the anti-fraud app, explained common scam types, answered questions on site and handed out handmade gifts, with stand-up style case stories mixed in. Police in several other places are running similar collaborations with cafes. The approach works because the contrast between a serious uniform and a relaxed coffee stall is what gets passersby to stop and listen.

A police station set up a coffee stall at a creative market, and the ones making the coffee were real police officers — the Jiangbei Branch of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau opened a POLICE COFFEE stall with the theme "Have you anti-fraud today?", using coffee culture to close the distance with young people and convey anti-scam knowledge in a relaxed atmosphere. From cup stickers with slogans to age-specific anti-fraud small gifts, from free coffee for collecting likes to stand-up comedy case stories, the police uncles racked their brains to protect everyone's wallets. This article shows you what is so special about this cup of "police coffee," and how police in multiple places are collaborating with cafés to promote anti-fraud awareness.

Recently, a hugely popular coffee stall appeared at a creative market in Ningbo, called by market-goers the "most eye-catching one" of the whole venue. On a purple-blue sign was prominently written "POLICE COFFEE" — at first glance, you might think it was a co-branded theme stall from some police station. But this time it was not a collaboration at all; the police station itself had set up the stall, and the ones brewing coffee for you were genuine police officers.

This was a coffee stall set up by the Jiangbei Branch of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau with the theme "Have you anti-fraud today?". The classic storefront with white text on a blue background, paired with down-to-earth copy such as "Making money is not easy, so cherish every penny you earn," "Feel safe drinking this cup from Uncle Police. Don't wait until you're scammed and go to the police station to drink coffee in misery," instantly made the originally serious police image much more approachable. It was precisely this adorable "contrast" that successfully caught the attention of every passerby at the market.

Besides the eye-catching color scheme, what made this stall the focus of the whole venue was also the presence of the most attractive and upright police beauties and handsome officers on site. Some focused on making coffee, some patiently guided citizens who came to check in to download the anti-fraud app, and others were responsible for explaining common types and methods of scams, answering on-site questions, and handing out handmade anti-fraud small gifts.

To make the promotional effect more effective, the police uncles put in a lot of thought. Every cup of coffee had slogans stuck on it such as "Want to find love, not fake orders," "Dating is fine, talking money is not!" The anti-fraud small gifts were also differentiated according to different age groups.

For the elderly, they prepared lanyard card holders that can be worn around the neck, printed with "Health products are not needed, investments are unreliable, hold tight to your wallet, protect your retirement savings"; for children, they prepared ruler stationery, using cute cartoon characters to remind them to stay alert to bad uncles; for young people, they prepared adorable cartoon police image stickers that can be attached to phone cases and other items for decoration. Of course, the small gifts could be chosen freely.

It was not hard to get this cup of "police coffee." By following the on-site guidance to download the relevant app, then checking in on-site by posting on Moments with an anti-fraud declaration, and gathering more than 8 likes, you could get a free cup of coffee handmade by the police uncles. Many netizens who got the coffee exclaimed: "This is so heartwarming! I never expected anti-fraud could be so artistic."

Speaking about the original intention of this coffee stall pop-up event, the police uncles said: "Combining the coffee culture popular among young people today, we hope to attract young people to learn about anti-fraud and anti-scam knowledge in a relaxed atmosphere, and then pass it on to the elders in their families." To help the friends who came to check in understand anti-fraud and anti-scam knowledge more deeply, the police uncles also invited a stand-up comedy host to tell common fraud cases in a more relaxed and humorous way.

Since last year, public security sub-bureaus in many places have also begun to "co-brand" with cafés or coffee brands, allowing people to learn more anti-fraud knowledge while drinking coffee. Some opened theme cafés in the courtyard of the sub-bureau, while others jointly held activities with Luckin and Starbucks, distributing anti-fraud label stickers to theme cafés or Starbucks and Luckin stores within their jurisdiction, sticking them on coffee cups when serving, thereby increasing the intensity of anti-fraud and anti-scam publicity.

In addition to this pop-up event, the Ningbo Jiangbei Police Station also authorized a coffee shop to open a police service station COFFEE on the Bund street. The Jiangbei Branch of the Ningbo Public Security Bureau stated: This coffee shop is not operated by the police themselves; there is simply cooperation with the coffee shop in anti-fraud publicity. The coffee shop is decorated with some anti-fraud publicity elements and cartoon police images, publicly promoting anti-fraud knowledge to everyone and helping raise everyone's anti-fraud awareness.

To protect everyone's wallets, the police uncles really went to great lengths!

Image source: Internet, Ningbo Public Security

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.