Old Street Coffee and the Guming Packaging Controversy

Guming Tea's new takeout bags featuring actor Daniel Wu, launched alongside a coffee promotion in late June, have drawn complaints from customers who say the design looks like packaging for health supplements or goji berries. On September 23, a staff member said no formal complaints had been received but that feedback would be recorded and passed on for evaluation.

The backlash points to a broader tension in co-branded packaging: while Daniel Wu has high recognition, some younger customers feel his image does not fit a youth-oriented tea brand. The episode shows how quickly packaging aesthetics can overshadow a celebrity partnership, especially when customers carry branded bags in public.

After partnering with actor Daniel Wu to promote its coffee products in late June, Gu Ming Tea recently rolled out takeout bags featuring his image at stores nationwide, which unexpectedly sparked a wave of consumer dissatisfaction. Many customers complained on social media that the bag design was "unattractive" and that the celebrity's portrait was too large, saying that carrying it made them look like they were holding "health supplements for middle-aged and elderly people" or "a bag of goji berries," and some even said they wanted to throw it away as soon as they received it. Some netizens argued that although Daniel Wu has high national recognition, he is no longer young and does not fit the positioning of a youth-oriented tea brand; others pointed out that brands should consider scenarios for reusing the packaging. On September 23, a Gu Ming staff member responded that they had not received related complaints, but would record opinions on the design and spokesperson and pass them on for evaluation. The incident reflects the tension between co-branded packaging and the aesthetics of young consumers.

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Recently, many customers who frequently buy Gu Ming milk tea noticed that stores had switched to new drink takeout bags. But when everyone saw the image of the famous actor Daniel Wu printed on the bags, social media immediately erupted, with many users posting bluntly: "Gu Ming, I've put up with this ugly bag for a long time!"

It is reported that in late June this year, Gu Ming announced a collaboration with Daniel Wu, mainly promoting its coffee products, which attracted a large number of fans. During the collaboration, co-branded events were also launched, giving consumers celebrity stickers and other merchandise. However, unexpectedly, when the spokesperson's image spread to stores nationwide along with the takeout bags, it actually drew a large amount of user dissatisfaction.

Judging from feedback on social media, many customers complained that the overall design of this takeout bag was "unattractive," and that the celebrity image on the bag was too large. Some said bluntly, "Walking down the street carrying this bag feels like carrying a bag of health supplements for middle-aged and elderly people," and "With this bag, I always feel like it's not milk tea inside, but goji berries." Even more people sharply stated that after receiving takeout, they would "throw the bag away without a second thought."

Some netizens pointed out that it is understandable for chain brands to hire celebrities as spokespeople to raise awareness, and they do not deny that Daniel Wu was once extremely handsome and had very high national recognition, but now this actor is no longer young, and appearing on the packaging of a chain tea brand targeting young consumers instead seems out of place and inconsistent with the brand's positioning, also making it hard for young consumers to accept.

In addition, some users said that tea brand packaging bags are mostly fairly durable, and consumers may reuse or repurpose them after receiving them. Therefore, in their view, when designing outer packaging, brands should consider the usage scenarios after customers receive it. Bags printed with a celebrity's close-up headshot like this may make people want to throw them away immediately, with no intention of reusing them, "I don't even want to carry it while shopping."

As a result, many Gu Ming users called on social media for the brand to pay attention to their comments requesting a change of outer packaging and to switch the drink takeout bags to a simple, elegant ordinary style without celebrity images.

Regarding netizens' feedback that the takeout bags were unattractive, on September 23, a reporter from JingShi Live consulted the Gu Ming brand as a consumer. A staff member said that they had not yet received complaints about the takeout bags' "oversized image" or "single style," and explained that the style and color of the takeout bags used in stores depend on the company's recent materials and inventory situation, and specific inventory cannot be checked directly.

The reporter further conveyed netizens' suggestions about adding styles and colors, adjusting the facial image design, and choosing spokespeople who better fit young audiences. The staff member responded that they would record these opinions about the design and spokesperson in detail and pass them to the relevant company departments for evaluation and handling.

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