Introduction:Luckin Coffee’s scratch-off sticker campaign in collaboration with the popular IP “Little Blue and His Friends” was originally intended to bring customers small joys, but it sparked controversy when some employees were found using flashlights to cheat by peeking at the results through the back of the stickers. This article delves into the original design intent of the campaign, the controversial actions by staff, offers advice for consumers on how to avoid being misled, and explores how brands can balance fun with fairness.
Recently, Luckin Coffee partnered with the well-known IP “Little Blue and His Friends” to launch a collaborative event where customers who purchased two drinks would receive a limited-edition scratch-off sticker, with a chance to win a free coffee. The rules were simple: each sticker featured a scratch-off area in the bottom right corner, and a total of 100,000 free coffees were to be given away, attracting a large number of participants.
Unlike previous collaboration campaigns, this sticker did not come with a limited-edition themed package, but simply added a scratch-off area to a regular sticker. After scratching off the coating, customers might win a free drink or just receive an encouraging message. Many netizens shared their joy at winning prizes, while those who didn’t still received heartwarming words of encouragement. The overall atmosphere was initially positive and uplifting.
However, after the campaign went live, it was discovered that some store employees were using flashlights to shine through the back of the stickers, exploiting light refraction to peek at the scratch-off results in advance. This cheating method violated the fairness principle of the campaign, and in some cases, employees did this right in front of customers, severely impacting the consumer experience. Feedback from customers pointed out that such behavior ruined the surprise and fun that scratch-off stickers are meant to deliver.
Experts analyzed that if the coating material of the scratch-off sticker has optical property differences, it is indeed possible for underlying text to be revealed under specific angles of flashlight light. Common anti-counterfeit scratch-off stickers usually use opaque ink and multi-layer coating techniques, but it seems the collaboration stickers may not have fully considered anti-cheating measures in their design.
The original intention of the campaign was to create a small joy experience for customers, where the random fun similar to opening a blind box should have been more important than the final outcome. Many participants emphasized that the process of scratching off the coating and the anticipation of the unknown were the main attractions, and whether one won or not was just an added bonus. But when employees used technical means to foresee the results and openly displayed them, it directly damaged consumers’ trust in the brand.
Consumer rights experts suggest that in such situations, customers can report to the store manager and request an unopened sticker or ask for third-party verification. Moving forward, the brand should improve the material of the scratch-off stickers—for example, by using light-proof coatings or double-sided sealing designs—and enhance employee training to ensure the fair execution of the campaign.
This incident highlights the importance of execution details in collaborative marketing campaigns. When designing fun interactive activities, brands need to assess the risks at every stage in advance, especially anti-fraud measures related to reward mechanisms. For consumers, when participating in such events, it is advisable to check the integrity of the sticker packaging and choose reputable stores for redemption.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
