Why Did the Luckin Coffee Havoc in Heaven Merchandise Stall?
Luckin Coffee launched limited-edition merchandise tied to the Havoc in Heaven animation for the Paris Olympics theme, and the follow-up gold-stamped postcards drew little interest. Staff at several stores reported giving out only single digits per day, a sharp drop from the sellout rush for cup sleeves and stickers the week before.
Consumers said a two-cup combo put nearly ten yuan toward six pieces of paper, with little practical use. The cold reception contrasts with the earlier The Tale of Rose co-branding, which sold out quickly. The case shows that timing, product utility, and how well the IP matches the audience decide whether a classic coffee brand's merchandise campaign lands.
Luckin Coffee recently collaborated with the "Havoc in Heaven" IP to launch Olympic-themed limited-edition merchandise, but the co-branding campaign, which was initially highly anticipated, unexpectedly fell flat. Although many consumers frequently placed orders to collect the full set of merchandise in the early days of the campaign, the subsequently released gold-stamped postcards failed to sustain the momentum. Staff at multiple locations reported that very few postcards were given out, in stark contrast to the frenzy last week when cup sleeves and stickers sold out completely. Consumers generally felt that the merchandise offered poor value for money, with nearly ten yuan of a two-cup combo going toward six pieces of paper, lacking practicality and appeal. This article will analyze in detail the reasons behind the cold reception of this collaboration and compare it with the successful "The Tale of Rose" collaboration, exploring the timing, conditions, and human factors required for successful co-branding marketing.
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Last week, Luckin officially announced a collaboration with the classic animation "Havoc in Heaven," creating a series of limited-edition merchandise around the French Olympics theme. The mashup of a nationally beloved animated character with the Olympic concept felt fresh to many fans, and after the campaign launched, some customers even drank coffee for a whole week straight just to collect the complete set of merchandise.
The day before yesterday, limited-edition postcards with the same theme were released nationwide. These postcards use gold-stamping technology, and from a certain angle you can see the piercing, spirited eyes of Sun Wukong on the card, adding a touch of fun to an ordinary piece of paper.
However, some staff noticed that this batch of postcards didn't seem to be favored by consumers.
After the collaboration was officially announced, netizens showed strong interest in the limited-edition merchandise, and some stores were repeatedly asked by customers when postcards, fridge magnets, and other merchandise would arrive. But to this employee's surprise, although many people claimed they wanted the postcards, since they were released on Monday, the number she had personally given out was pitifully few—yesterday the entire store gave out only one.
This situation is not an isolated case. Staff in other regions also reported that their stores could only give out one or two postcards a day, a stark contrast to the bustling scene last week when customers placed multiple orders to collect cup sleeves and stickers.
A loyal Luckin fan was also surprised by the lukewarm response to this merchandise. She mentioned that in the past, whenever the brand launched a new campaign, the merchandise stock at nearby stores would sell out within a day. Now that two days have passed since the campaign launched, the limited-edition combos are still being sold normally at stores, making this customer wonder if Luckin had simply overstocked.
In response, some customers who were unwilling to buy candidly admitted that in their eyes, the limited-edition postcards simply weren't good value for money.
The rules of the collaboration remain the same as before—you must purchase a two-cup combo to get the merchandise—but this time the combo is priced on the high side. Even with discounts from third-party platforms stacked on top, the combo price basically stays around 30 yuan.
Budget-conscious consumers did the math: if one drink is calculated at 9.9 yuan, then nearly 10 yuan of the 30-yuan two-cup combo is going toward six pieces of paper. After weighing it up, most of them chose to give up on the purchase.
On the other hand, although Luckin's collaboration with "Havoc in Heaven" can evoke childhood nostalgia for some users, the limited-edition postcards are not particularly high in visual appeal or playability, which discouraged many fans who had initially been full of anticipation. "The postcards are really impractical," "What's the use of postcards? A fridge magnet would be better."
Luckin's previous collaboration was with the TV drama "The Tale of Rose." Thanks to star power and support from drama fans, this collaboration—jokingly described as "rushed out"—repeatedly trended on social media and became a hot topic online. By comparison, this collaboration with "Havoc in Heaven," despite stacking multiple elements like childhood nostalgia and the Olympic theme, failed to deliver the most ideal results for the brand.
One can only say that for a collaboration to become an instant hit, timing, conditions, and human factors are all likely indispensable.
Image source: Xiaohongshu
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