Introduction:A coffee shop with a provocatively named brand was hit with a heavy fine of 30,000 yuan by market regulators for violating public order and morals with its store and product names, eventually shutting down in disappointment. This incident has not only sparked public discussion on the boundaries of vulgar marketing but also served as a wake-up call for the entire food and beverage industry. This article delves into the full story of the event and explores how coffee shops can strike a balance between creativity and compliance in branding and marketing strategies.
A coffee shop named "Doi Coffee" in Shanghai's Huangpu District came under investigation by market regulatory authorities due to its store name and product names containing vulgar content. The case, which came to light in July this year, garnered widespread social attention and became a cautionary example of vulgar marketing within the industry.
After months of investigation, the Shanghai Huangpu District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau ultimately issued a penalty decision against the coffee shop.The fine amounted to 30,000 yuan.The penalty was imposed more severely due to the negative social impact caused. The shop has since quietly closed, with its operator admitting that it will no longer operate due to poor business.
According to investigation data, the shop operated under the name "Doi Coffee" on multiple online platforms, and its digital menu featured several coffee drinks with names that included words violating public order and morals. By the time the case was exposed, these drinks had been sold through online channels170 times,with total sales amounting to approximately2,350.41 yuan.After the incident broke out, the shop carried out a comprehensive rectification of the relevant product names.
Considering the significant public outcry generated by the case online and its adverse effect on society, the market regulatory authorities imposed a heavier penalty based on the relevant provisions of the "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Online Transactions." In addition to ordering rectification, a30,000 yuan finewas lawfully imposed.
The coffee shop’s operator stated in a media interview in December that although they had attempted to continue operations after renaming and updating the menu, poor foot traffic ultimately led to the closure of the shop, which now shows no signs of operation. As for whether the fine has been paid, the operator did not directly respond, only mentioning that the shop manager currently has no plans to apply for administrative reconsideration.
In the early stages of the incident, the shop was listed on various food delivery platforms and completed its registration in July 2023. However, as early as July 26, a netizen left a comment on a delivery platform criticizing: "What kind of trend is this? I wonder who drinks coffee with such names." Faced with public scrutiny, the shop responded by calling the comment a malicious review, even claiming that "only vulgar people would associate it with vulgar culture," and argued that Shanghai is an inclusive city where one should not impose personal preferences on others.
As the controversy escalated, the shop’s pages on various online trading platforms were successively taken down and could no longer be searched. On July 28, the Huangpu District Market Supervision Bureau announced that the coffee shop’s product names "contained content that violated public order and morals," suspected of violating Article 11 of the "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Online Transactions," and thus officially launched an investigation.
When asked about the original intention behind the naming, the involved coffee shop’s operator gave a simple response: "I didn’t think too much about it at the time." This remark further fueled public skepticism about the brand’s operational attitude.
Although this incident may seem like an isolated case, it profoundly reflects how some emerging brands, in their pursuit of online traffic and buzz, often overlook fundamental legal and moral boundaries. For practitioners, creative marketing is undoubtedly important, but how to attract consumers while upholding public order, morals, and the long-term development底线 of the brand is a question every coffee business operator should deeply reflect on.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
