Introduction:Luckin’s Oat Milk Latte celebrates its third anniversary since launch, and the brand has teamed up with singer Tengger for a collaborative campaign featuring a custom birthday song and limited-edition emoji sticker set. This cross-industry partnership has sparked polarized reactions online, ranging from surprise to skepticism. This article delves into the highlights of the campaign, market responses, and examines the controversial aspects of the sticker design to help readers understand the underlying marketing strategy and consumer psychology.
Luckin’s Oat Milk Latte has reached an important milestone—its third anniversary on the market. To mark the occasion, the brand has meticulously planned an unexpectedly bold collaboration with renowned singer Tengger. According to online rumors, the two will jointly release a custom birthday song and a limited-edition set of emoji stickers, news that quickly ignited heated discussions across the internet. Some netizens expressed surprise at this seemingly unconventional pairing, bluntly commenting, “Who would’ve thought they’d collaborate?” Yet, many consumers have shown strong interest, stating they will definitely purchase and try the drink once the campaign goes live.
However, when actual images of the real-person emoji stickers were leaked online, they prompted skepticism from many fans. Numerous consumers felt the sticker designs were overly exaggerated and carried a strongly addictive, almost “viral” quality, with some even saying they might refuse the freebie if received. Whether this collaborative campaign can sustain Luckin’s track record of creating viral hits or will fade into obscurity like a flash in the pan has undeniably become a focal point of market attention.
When discussing Luckin’s flagship products, aside from last year’s market sensation, the Soy Sauce Latte, the Oat Milk Latte also plays a pivotal role. This classic beverage officially debuted in April three years ago and quickly won over the taste buds of a large number of consumers. It has long remained in high demand with supply struggling to meet demand, becoming a pillar of the brand’s sales success.
This year, the popular drink celebrates its third birthday. It is understood that Luckin has specially planned the “Oat Milk Three-Year Anniversary” collaboration campaign, inviting singer Tengger to perform a custom birthday song for the classic beverage as part of the celebration. Additionally, limited-edition co-branded stickers will be launched to add more fun elements to the event.
This news caught many netizens off guard. Although Luckin has previously leveraged celebrity or influencer endorsements to boost product sales, the format of this collaboration with Tengger stands out—it involves launching stickers featuring Tengger emoji designs through a co-branding effort, which is an unprecedented move in Luckin’s history of partnerships.
For frequent internet users, the singer Tengger, who is over sixty years old, is no stranger. In recent years, with his unique performance style, he has successfully revived and popularized numerous pop songs through covers, completely overturning the public’s stereotypical image of traditional artists. As a result, he has been affectionately nicknamed the “eternal kid” by netizens.
Some netizens feel that collaborating this veteran artist with a modern coffee brand like Luckin seems somewhat mismatched. Many have remarked, “Who would’ve thought they’d collaborate?” and described the pairing as “too dramatic.” Coupled with the online rumor that the campaign launch date coincides with April Fools’ Day on April 1st, some suspect it might be an elaborate prank prepared by Luckin for its fans.
However, as actual images of the Tengger stickers have widely circulated online, the authenticity of the news seems to have gained further corroboration. This has put Luckin’s loyal fans in a dilemma—whether to participate in the campaign or stay cautious remains a question for many.
Fans of Tengger, naturally, are filled with anticipation for this collaboration. Many have stated they will place orders immediately once the campaign goes live. Comments such as “If it’s real, I’ll definitely buy it,” “Count me in—Tengger all the way,” and “Oh wow, now I have to drink it” have been pouring in, showcasing the enthusiastic support from fans.
However, it’s worth noting that Luckin’s previous co-branded sticker releases mainly featured cute and whimsical cartoon characters. These designs, thanks to their distinctive styles, have been highly favored by sticker enthusiasts and often sold out quickly upon each campaign launch. In contrast, the real-person emoji stickers introduced this time are seen by some fans as overly “over-the-top.” Some have bluntly said, “These stickers are really too wild,” “Ugly to tears,” and “A bit too much,” expressing strong discomfort with the sticker designs.
Many consumers have stated they find the emoji sticker set hard to accept, not knowing how to properly use them even if received. Some fans have gone as far as frankly saying they don’t want the stickers at all, with plans to specifically ask baristas not to include them as freebies when placing orders.
Compared to other brands, Luckin has consistently demonstrated rich creativity and diversity in planning collaboration campaigns. With these unconventional and tradition-defying “gimmicks,” the brand has successfully garnered significant market buzz and topic engagement. As for whether this collaboration with Tengger can continue the previous wave of viral success, becoming one of the hot topics on social media, or will instead go unnoticed without making a splash in the market—only time will tell.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
