Introduction:Heytea has collaborated with the classic Chinese palace drama "Empresses in the Palace" for the first time, launching two limited-edition new products — "Zhen Guo · Big Orange Painted Pear" and "Zhen Nai · Snow-Brewed Jade Green" — each priced at 18 RMB. This collaboration not only continues Heytea’s strategy of high cost-performance but also combines a popular entertainment IP to create an immersive cultural experience. This article details the market strategy behind the collaboration, highlights of the products, and how the new tea beverage brand leverages cultural elements to enhance consumer loyalty.
Heytea has once again captured market attention through a collaborative campaign. Recently, it officially announced a partnership with the nationally beloved palace drama "Empresses in the Palace," debuting two limited-edition new drinks — the fruit tea "Zhen Guo · Big Orange Painted Pear" and the milk tea "Zhen Nai · Snow-Brewed Jade Green," both priced at 18 RMB. This marks the first collaboration between "Empresses in the Palace" and a new tea beverage brand, and it is also Heytea’s another successful IP crossover following its partnerships with "A Dream of Splendor" and "Genshin Impact."
Judging by past cases, Heytea’s collaboration strategy has proven highly effective. For instance, "Meng Hua Cha Xi · Dian Cha" sold nearly 300,000 cups on its first day of launch, while the Genshin Impact-branded juice tea sold out within 59 minutes of its release. This new collaboration with "Empresses in the Palace" not only injects fresh energy into the drama but also paves a new path for new tea beverage brands to explore cultural experiences.
According to information released through official channels, these two new products have been gradually launched in various stores. The ordering mini-program shows that both "Zhen Guo · Big Orange Painted Pear" and "Zhen Nai · Snow-Brewed Jade Green" are priced at 18 RMB, in line with Heytea’s consistent positioning of “genuine quality without extravagance.” Customers who purchase either new product will receive a collaborative merchandise gift, and there’s also free shipping on Mondays. Coupled with themed store decorations, this has successfully sparked a wave of discussion.
As an enduring classic series, "Empresses in the Palace" continues to be beloved by audiences for over a decade thanks to its delicate plot, outstanding performances, and rich traditional Chinese cultural essence. Its influence extends beyond the film and television industry, permeating online fan creations, community memes, and even everyday conversations, forming a unique pop culture phenomenon.
It is understood that this is the first time "Empresses in the Palace" has crossed over with a new tea beverage brand. Heytea has seized upon the shared resonance in Chinese aesthetics and cultural heritage between both parties, using beverages and merchandise design to further enrich the modern application scenarios of the drama, and providing a new model for cultural marketing in the new tea beverage industry.
Even before the official announcement, Heytea had released teaser information through its official Weibo and公众号 (WeChat official account). On October 21, the brand posted a humorous image of employees tasting unreleased new products with "Empresses in the Palace" playing in the background, accompanied by the caption “It’s off work, stop watching it (pat on the shoulder),” and hinted at the new product’s silhouette in the stickers. Many netizens had already sensed the collaboration from the interactions in the comments section.
In fact, two days before the official announcement, rumors about the collaboration had already circulated on social platforms, indicating the market's anticipation for this crossover. Now that the new products have officially debuted, they not only meet fans’ expectations but also demonstrate once again Heytea’s keen insight in collaborative marketing.
This is not Heytea’s first attempt at collaborating with entertainment IPs. At the end of June this year, the brand partnered with the hit drama "A Dream of Splendor" to launch "Meng Hua Cha Xi · Dian Cha" and "Zi Su · Pink Peach Drink," priced at 19 RMB and 15 RMB respectively. On the first day of launch, it achieved nearly 300,000 cup sales, and the overwhelming number of orders caused the official mini-program to crash multiple times. Some stores even closed early due to ingredient shortages. The collaboration not only ranked fourth on the hot search list but also pioneered a new model of cross-industry collaboration between new tea beverages and period dramas.
In September this year, Heytea teamed up again with the highly popular game "Genshin Impact" to launch two limited-edition drinks — "Ling Ren · Water-Shadow Longan Coconut" and "Ling Hua · Frostbite Longan Coconut." Collaborative bottled juice tea with themed packaging was also released, receiving an enthusiastic response from players. After going on sale at 12 noon on September 5, the first batch of inventory sold out within just 59 minutes. Official sales channels and e-commerce platforms subsequently switched to pre-sale mode, showcasing strong market appeal.
Looking at Heytea’s recent moves, the brand has not only frequently collaborated with IPs across various fields but has also continuously innovated its marketing methods, including setting up a “transparent fruit peeling window,” limited-time “face-swap” campaigns on social platforms, fan co-branding projects, and the inaugural “Ah Xi Full-Body Portrait” design contest. Related topics have accumulated over 500 million exposures across the internet, demonstrating the brand’s strong resonance among younger consumers. The future effectiveness of this collaboration with "Empresses in the Palace" is highly anticipated, and the next wave of creative partnerships may not be far off.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
