Introduction:Recently, some popular cafes in Hangzhou have launched afternoon tea sets featuring logos of luxury brands such as LV, Dior, and CHANEL, attracting social media enthusiasts with prices ranging from 99 to 318 yuan. Beyond visual collaborations, do such products raise issues regarding trademark and copyright disputes? How should consumers view this marketing strategy? This article delves into the legal risks and practical advice behind these offerings.
In recent years, several attention-grabbing cafes in Hangzhou have introduced creatively designed "luxury brand afternoon teas," skillfully incorporating well-known brand logos such as LV, Dior, and CHANEL into latte art and cake designs, successfully drawing in large numbers of young consumers eager to take photos. This marketing approach that blends fashion elements makes one wonder: does simply adding a big brand logo make the coffee seem more upscale?
It is understood that this wave of "luxury brand afternoon tea" trend was first initiated by Rea.vintage Cafe located on Zhongshan North Road. This cafe not only serves coffee and desserts but is also a vintage luxury goods boutique. Although it does not prominently advertise the special set in its storefront, customers who inquire can still order this 99-yuan signature set, which includes two drinks and a cake printed with a luxury brand logo. Staff revealed that the logos on the coffee are created using latte art molds purchased online, and they plan to introduce more brand pattern options in the future.
However, such creative designs have also sparked skepticism among many netizens: "Does adding a luxury brand logo really make the coffee any better?" Some consumers bluntly asked whether this is just another form of an "IQ tax." In addition to Rea.vintage, CHOPCHOP Cafe on the 4th floor of Hangzhou International City Plaza has taken this collaboration concept to the next level—not only prominently displaying its luxury brand afternoon tea menu but also listing it on the Dianping platform with prices ranging from 118 to 318 yuan. The menu features four combinations across three price tiers, with each cake and coffee meticulously designed to showcase brand logos such as Chanel and LV.
It’s worth noting CHOPCHOP’s dine-in set strategy. Customers can only access the internal scenic area and enjoy a dedicated photo space by ordering items from the dine-in beverage or dessert series. There is a mechanical gate between the bar counter area and the inner seating area, requiring a card swipe to enter, creating a unique sense of luxury. However, this experience is also reflected in the pricing—for example, the same Americano is priced at 58 yuan for dine-in, while it costs only 28 yuan for takeaway, a difference of 30 yuan.
Regarding these creative collaborations, the person in charge of CHOPCHOP Cafe stated that the desserts in the cafe are not made in-house but are custom-made by a partnered dessert studio. As for the latte art on the coffee, it is achieved using molds purchased online. Even so, many customers remain enthusiastic about this novel experience featuring brand elements, propelling the cafe to the top of local popularity lists.
However, such marketing strategies are not without controversy. Some netizens believe that even if luxury brand goods are not directly sold, using their logos without authorization may still involve potential infringement. Legal experts point out that according to Article 48 of the Trademark Law, the use of a trademark includes applying the mark to goods, packaging, advertisements, and exhibitions for commercial activities aimed at identifying the source of goods. While simply using a logo as a decorative element is less likely to be directly deemed as trademark infringement, if these logos qualify as “works” under copyright law and are still within their protection period, businesses could still face the risk of copyright infringement, including liabilities related to reproduction rights or distribution rights.
Industry insiders also caution that cafes aiming to attract customers should rely on solid product flavors and service experiences, rather than short-lived social media trends or riding on the coattails of big brand prestige. For consumers, while enjoying creative afternoon tea, it’s also advisable to pay more attention to the roast level, extraction parameters, and flavor profiles of the coffee itself—that’s the key to experiencing specialty coffee.
In summary, while the luxury brand collaboration afternoon teas offered by these popular cafes in Hangzhou have garnered significant attention visually and on social media, the underlying legal risks concerning trademarks and copyrights should not be overlooked. For business operators, improving beverage quality and customer experience is the right path to sustainable success.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
