Is Luckin Coffee Brand Collaboration Just Meme Marketing?

Luckin Coffee asked users on Xiaohongshu on August 13 which brand they would most like to see it collaborate with, telling commenters to suggest boldly because it might actually happen. Replies ranged from Doraemon, Stitch, and Blue Cat to food names such as Lao Gan Ma, Want Want, KFC, and, most bluntly, Starbucks, its long-time rival in China.

The idea of pairing the two is not new. When Luckin teased its Sad Frog Qixi collaboration on July 29, a small green hand in the poster led some users to ask whether it belonged to the green mermaid in the Starbucks logo. Cross-industry tie-ups have become a traffic habit for brands, though success depends on whether young buyers embrace the joke.

Luckin Coffee publicly solicited collaboration suggestions on social media, and netizens let their imaginations run wild, from Doraemon to Lao Gan Ma, with some even shouting out "Starbucks." This is not the first time Starbucks has been "matchmade" by netizens—previously, during the teaser for the Sad Frog collaboration, a small green hand sparked similar speculation. Looking back at the first half of the year, Luckin's collaboration with Coconut Palm Group on Coconut Cloud Latte went viral thanks to its contrasting appeal; in the second half, it teamed up with Sad Frog for Qixi Festival. Collaborations have become a traffic code for brands, but the prerequisite for success is that young people embrace them. This time, Luckin is handing the meme-making opportunity to netizens—can it once again precisely capture young consumers?

Not long after wrapping up one collaboration, Luckin Coffee is already brainstorming its next cross-industry venture. On August 13, the brand asked users on Xiaohongshu: Which brand would you most like to see Luckin collaborate with? It encouraged everyone to leave comments and make bold suggestions, joking that "it might actually happen."

In the comments, netizens shared their own ideas. Some nominated blue cartoon characters like Doraemon, Stitch, Blue Cat, Hongmao and Lantu, and Xiao Lan; others listed well-known food brands such as Lao Gan Ma, Lao Xiang Ji, Want Want, Luo Ba Wang, and KFC.

Interestingly, netizens were quite blunt—Luckin didn't treat them as outsiders, and they didn't hold back either. Many directly commented "Starbucks," hoping Luckin's next collaboration would rope in this industry peer.

After all, Starbucks is Luckin's long-time rival in the Chinese market. The suggestion is indeed bold, but if the two could actually join forces, it would be quite intriguing. After all, you have to dream big—who knows, it might come true someday.

In fact, the idea of pairing Luckin and Starbucks is not new. On July 29, when Luckin's official Weibo posted a teaser poster for its Sad Frog collaboration, a small green hand in the image sparked many associations.

At the time, some netizens boldly speculated: Could this small green hand belong to the green mermaid in the Starbucks logo?

In the coffee industry, collaborations are already commonplace, but few cases truly make both parties go viral. A successful collaboration can propel both brands into the spotlight, bringing considerable traffic, as netizens create memes around it and hunt for merchandise, thus extending the campaign's heat. On one side, netizens contribute spontaneously; on the other, brands reap the benefits. Collaborations have become a wealth code for many brands, but the premise is—young people buy into the topic.

In the first half of the year, Luckin Coffee and Coconut Palm Group's cross-industry "Coconut Cloud Latte" mixed a trendy item with "rustic" elements, and the strong contrast instantly grabbed attention. Similarly, for the collaboration teaser, even with a thick mosaic on the poster, the Coconut Palm's torrential style was unmistakable, and netizens saw through it on the first day...

After Coconut Cloud Latte officially launched, netizens went wild, making their own Coconut Cloud merchandise, and even Coconut Palm's spokesperson Xu Dongdong joined in to unlock "new Coconut Cloud poses."

In the second half of the year, Luckin Coffee teamed up with Sad Frog, connecting with young people through the green Sad Frog during Qixi Festival, a time for couples and full moons.

It's fair to say that Luckin Coffee has a very accurate grasp of young netizens' minds, leveraging trending IPs and using lighthearted memes to attract more young people into its marketing topics. This ability to attract young customers is precisely the key to Luckin's successful turnaround.

This time, Luckin Coffee turned the collaboration choice into a topic, handing the meme-making opportunity to young netizens. Netizens, of course, don't play by the rules—knowing full well that Starbucks is Luckin's competitor, they still want to see the two collaborate.

Image source: Xiaohongshu, internet

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(Front Street Coffee recommends: To explore more flavors beyond collaborations, check out Front Street Coffee's bean list and brewing suggestions.)

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