Luckin Coffee recently released its 2023 financial report, with sales surpassing Starbucks China to become the top player in the domestic coffee market. However, the significant reduction of the 9.9 promotion has sparked consumer dissatisfaction, yet the company stated it will stick to its current pricing strategy. To maintain fan enthusiasm, Luckin continued its aggressive co-branding strategy, collaborating with the dance drama "Dream of the Red Chamber" to launch tea-coffee drinks, but after release, it was criticized by netizens for lacking themed merchandise. Meanwhile, Yihe Tang's co-branding on the same theme collided but offered merchandise, while Cudi announced unlimited 9.9 promotions, putting Luckin in an awkward position. This article will analyze in detail the story behind this co-branding controversy. [more…]

The co-branding campaign between Chagee and "Ne Zha 2" had not yet been officially announced, but a large number of leaked merchandise images had already surfaced on social media, sparking heated discussion among fans. However, as more images were exposed, merchandise enthusiasts who had been full of anticipation discovered that the square badges in this design bore a striking resemblance to competitor Cotti's fridge magnets, and the quality also fell short of expectations, with disappointment written all over their faces. Facing the growing public discourse, Chagee's official account appeared in the comments section to debunk rumors and try to soothe fans' emotions. Meanwhile, Cotti, which was the first to launch its co-branded campaign, won praise for its sincerity and after-sales service, invisibly putting comparative pressure on Chagee. How will this co-branding controversy unfold? And what gaps exist between fans' expectations and the brand's preparations? [more…]

Nayuki's official shop recently sold last year's co-branded limited-edition merchandise for 5.9 yuan with free shipping, including Powerpuff Girls fridge magnets, sparking strong dissatisfaction among consumers who had originally bought designated set meals to obtain the merchandise. Some store employees even revealed that some expired merchandise could be obtained for free without any purchase, simply by checking in and writing a positive review. On one side, fans who spent money on set meals feel let down; on the other, the brand is turning inventory into free gifts or selling it at low prices to avoid waste. Regarding how limited-edition merchandise is handled after a campaign ends, consumer opinions are clearly divided—some support clearing out stock, while others worry that bargain hunters exploiting loopholes could affect future collaborations. [more…]

This Monday, Luckin Coffee's collaboration event with the domestic AAA game Black Myth: Wukong officially launched. However, on the first day, issues such as ordering system failures, merchandise selling out instantly, and redemption anomalies pushed it onto Weibo's trending topics. Players stayed up late to wait and got up early to snap up items, only to encounter situations like "sold out," "unable to redeem," and "stores not receiving stock," with complaints flooding social media. Meanwhile, collaboration posters were being resold at high prices on second-hand platforms. Luckin officially responded later that the system had been repaired and issued a restocking notice, with an estimated production cycle of about 15 days. This article reviews the complete process of this collaboration event and consumer feedback. [more…]

Luckin Coffee recently collaborated with the "Havoc in Heaven" IP to launch Olympic-themed limited-edition merchandise, but the co-branding campaign that was initially highly anticipated unexpectedly fell flat. Although many consumers frequently placed orders to collect the merchandise in the early days of the campaign, the subsequently released gold-stamped postcards failed to sustain the momentum. Staff at many locations reported that very few postcards were given out, in stark contrast to the previous week's frenzy when cup sleeves and stickers sold out. 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 co-branding campaign's cold reception, compare it with the earlier successful collaboration with "The Tale of Rose," and explore the timing, conditions, and human factors required for successful co-branding marketing. [more…]

The recently popular drama "The Tale of Rose" has sparked a wave of coffee collaborations. Luckin drew inspiration from the iconic yellow rose in the show and launched a Yellow Rose Latte along with a matching three-piece set of paper bags, cup sleeves, and keychains. Purchasing the double-cup package would earn a limited-edition collaboration keychain, and as soon as the news broke, it ignited a buying frenzy among drama fans and coffee lovers. However, because stock of the merchandise at each store was extremely limited, many consumers came eager but left empty-handed, and social media was filled with cries of lament. Even more dramatically, the keychain posted by lead actress Liu Yifei was actually not produced by Luckin, adding a touch of controversy to this collaboration campaign. This article walks you through the whole story of this buying frenzy. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's co-branding campaign with the Lunar New Year film "Creation of the Gods II" has officially launched, with the simultaneous release of a pistachio latte and movie-themed merchandise. However, the first batch of consumers who tried the new product gave polarized reviews of its taste, with many reporting a noticeable greasiness and the inability to substitute oat milk with regular milk. Even more surprising to merchandise collectors was that the co-branded limited-edition cup sleeves were urgently recalled by headquarters due to a printing error, and themed cup sleeves would no longer be offered during the campaign. Meanwhile, misprinted cup sleeves have appeared for sale at high prices on second-hand platforms, sparking considerable skepticism. This article will sort through the sequence of events and the reactions from all sides. [more…]

Luckin Coffee recently launched a co-branded campaign with the China Open, only to unexpectedly get caught up in a plagiarism controversy. An original designer posted on social media, accusing Luckin's co-branded phone case stand of being highly similar to their own work from last year, with details from the color scheme and the tennis-spin concept to the font on the base being almost identical. Meanwhile, another sports brand also discovered that its promotional image for a tennis pillow was strikingly similar to Luckin's merchandise, and after comparison, netizens pointed out that the tag position, plush texture, and even the stitching were exactly the same. As the incident continued to escalate, a wave of questioning flooded Luckin's official comment section, but as of press time the brand had yet to respond. This is not the first time Luckin has faced such accusations, and this controversy has dealt a blow to its co-branded marketing image. [more…]

On August 29, Luckin Coffee's co-branded campaign with the cartoon IP Little Liu Duck officially launched, but it sparked consumer dissatisfaction because participation was limited to online channels only. Many fans rushed to stores early in the morning only to find nothing, and later discovered that the campaign was actually run by Luckin Instant Coffee, which belongs to a different system from the offline stores. The co-branded merchandise was available only as gifts, not for sale, including limited-edition items such as thermos cups, stickers, and desk mats, and had already attracted widespread attention during the teaser phase. However, the mismatch between online and offline information left many consumers disappointed and also triggered discussions about brand co-branding strategies and the essence of coffee. [more…]

Co-branding between chain brands has long become commonplace, yet Luckin Coffee's frequent moves in co-branded marketing still turn heads. From cross-industry collaborations to routine co-branding, Luckin has consistently demonstrated keen market instincts and creative capabilities. On January 22, Luckin joined hands with artist Han Meilin for a second time to launch Year of the Dragon limited-edition co-branded merchandise, with paper bags and cup sleeves rolling out nationwide. Subsequently, Luckin officially launched the call "Every generation has its own merch makeover frenzy" on Xiaohongshu, sparking a creative carnival among Luckin's craftspeople. From pen holders and picture frames to oracle bone script mahjong and Chinese-style oil-paper umbrellas, netizens transformed free merchandise into works of art brimming with ingenuity. This article will take you through the highlights of this zero-cost DIY merch craze, letting you feel the creative vitality that comes from brand-consumer interaction. [more…]

Cotti Coffee's official announcement of a new brand ambassador triggered a surge in store orders, and Luckin Coffee's livestream channel promptly featured group-buying links that appeared to be riding the traffic. A coffee business war revolving around celebrity traffic seems to have quietly begun. As the traffic-driving effects of price wars and co-branded merchandise gradually wear off, brands are turning their eyes to fan groups willing to keep paying for their idols. Can this consumption shift from "buying the trinket while returning the pearl" to "spending for love" become a new path for coffee brands to break through? Under the halo of celebrity, will coffee itself be forgotten by consumers? [more…]

Luckin Coffee's recent collaboration with the claymation character Pingu has sparked considerable discussion. In the early stage of the campaign, consumers had to buy designated set meals or two cups of the new drink to get the merchandise, and many fans placed orders at full price or even stockpiled coffee coupons for this. However, not long after the campaign ended, Luckin released the same merchandise again with a lower threshold or even for free, leaving consumers who had bought at a high price earlier feeling dissatisfied. At the same time, employees reported on social platforms that the merchandise was selling poorly, with inventory piling up at some stores, and materials such as stickers even being discarded or given away. From the teaser phase to the rerun, this collaboration reflects the gap between a brand's marketing节奏 and consumers' expectations. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's recent collaboration with singer Tengger has officially launched, with "Coconut Joy Song," a birthday tribute to the Coconut Latte, playing on loop in stores, and the accompanying Tengger real-person meme stickers sparking a buying frenzy among fans. However, these stickers encountered an unexpected awkwardness in offline stores—many customers took their coffee and left the stickers in the pickup area, with one store accumulating as many as 20 unclaimed stickers in a single day. While fans are frantically ordering just to get the stickers, some consumers bluntly say they're "too cringe" or "don't know where to put them." Why has this collaboration merch received such polarizing reviews? This article will walk you through the whole story and discuss the gains and losses behind Luckin's collaboration strategy. [more…]

The globally renowned IP Harry Potter has teamed up with Nayuki for a co-branded collaboration, launching limited-edition drinks and merchandise inspired by the four Hogwarts houses. However, controversy has dogged the campaign since its launch: the Slytherin house's signature drink, a fruit-and-vegetable blend of kale and kiwi, was mocked by fans as tasting like a "potion," while the other three were also criticized for various flaws; the uneven distribution of blind-box transparent cards in the merchandise further led consumers to question store operations. As an experienced co-branding player, Nayuki's performance this time has left many Harry Potter fans disappointed, dealing a double blow to both the campaign experience and brand goodwill. [more…]

Competition in the coffee market is becoming increasingly fierce. The traffic-driving effects of price wars and co-branding campaigns are gradually weakening, and brands are beginning to shift their attention to fan groups willing to spend money on their idols. Recently, Cotti's official announcement of a new spokesperson triggered a surge in store orders, while a group-buy link in Luckin's livestream with a fan nickname prefix once again set public opinion abuzz. Is this a carefully planned business war or fans spontaneously generating momentum? Can celebrity endorsements bring sustained purchasing power to brands, and will they blur consumers' focus on coffee products themselves? This article will guide you through the business logic and hidden concerns behind this traffic marketing. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's collaboration with "Black Myth: Wukong" ignited the market, with the lenticular card posters selling out rapidly and sparking consumer dissatisfaction. After the official promise of restocking within 15 days, some stores gradually received new supplies, but customers discovered that the production date on the newly arrived posters was July 15, the same as the first batch, raising questions that the brand was passing off old inventory as restocked goods, which once again triggered discussions about Luckin's marketing strategy. The incident exposed multiple issues in the supply chain and inventory management of collaboration merchandise, and also made consumers doubt the brand's sincerity. [more…]

The Chagee x "Ne Zha 2" collaboration officially launched today. Fans, who had been eagerly awaiting it, rushed to place orders for the limited-edition merchandise. However, on the very first day of the campaign, problems such as material shortages, mismatched packaging, and inconsistent execution across stores came to light, triggering strong dissatisfaction among consumers. By contrast, the earlier Cotti Coffee x "Ne Zha 2" collaboration was praised as "textbook-level" for its timely after-sales service and genuine sincerity. Chagee's chaotic performance this time has left many fans openly disappointed, with some even joking that they "couldn't even copy the homework properly." This article reviews the specific problems and consumer feedback from the first day of the campaign, and looks back at Cotti's successful experience, offering a comprehensive perspective for coffee and tea beverage enthusiasts. [more…]

The adorable bear delivery rack jointly created by Starbucks and Meituan has recently been delivered to consumers one after another, but unexpectedly sparked a series of amusing incidents. Some people went to stores to pick up their packages only to find the staff completely confused; some only discovered after assembling it that the promotion had long ended; and some stores even mistook the delivery rack for promotional material and placed it outside the door to welcome customers. This merchandise, which requires meeting Meituan's spend-and-get conditions to reserve for free, won over countless fans with its sensor-activated glowing bear and sturdy fiberboard material, but also left netizens who missed out lamenting, "Big data, you're too late." Those who successfully got their hands on one are now starting to worry: will such a cute rack get swiped if I put it outside my door? The various experiences surrounding this co-branded merchandise reflect the subtle gap between brand campaign promotion and consumer reach. [more…]

Luckin Coffee's co-branded campaign with the popular IP Butterbear launched on September 30, introducing four themed cups and a Little Butter drink series that drew widespread attention from fans. However, after the campaign began, many consumers reported that orders placed through third-party platforms such as Ele.me did not come with the co-branded stickers, which was inconsistent with the official promotion's promise of "free with any 2 cups." Customer service responded that peripherals could only be obtained by ordering through the Luckin App or mini-program, prompting consumer questions about the lack of transparency in channel rules. The incident reflects the problem of inconsistent messaging in brands' multi-platform marketing and serves as a reminder that consumers should carefully confirm giveaway conditions before placing orders. [more…]

Starbucks and the classic Peanuts character Snoopy launched their first co-branded campaign in mainland China, originally scheduled to go live on March 25, but it was suddenly moved up to March 21, leaving many stores unable to receive the limited-edition cup sleeves and takeout bags in time. Consumers who bought the co-branded drinks could not get the Snoopy packaging they had expected and voiced their disappointment and dissatisfaction. Starbucks employees explained that the materials were unevenly distributed, and some staff even hand-drew Snoopy designs as a makeshift fix. This co-branding campaign exposed the brand's chaos in event coordination and material allocation, and also sparked discussions about ensuring a proper co-branded experience. [more…]