Introduction:At an alleyway entrance in Cicheng Ancient Town, Ningbo, the signs of CHAGEE and Starbucks happened to be placed side by side. The red and green color schemes, against the backdrop of the traditional architecture, unexpectedly formed a visual effect reminiscent of public restroom signage, sparking heated online discussion and a wave of fan-created content. From brand positioning and market strategies to product details, we take you on an in-depth look at the fun and competitive dynamics behind this viral “restroom commercial war.”
When the image of a red songstress meets the green mermaid logo, an online craze was born from a coincidental alignment of signage. CHAGEE and Starbucks, one focused on tea drinks and the other on coffee, are brands from different lanes—but were captured by netizens at the alley entrance of Cicheng Ancient Town and paired up as a “red-green couple.” From humorous takes like “Chinese women’s restroom vs. foreign women’s restroom,” to CHAGEE publicly setting sales targets to rival Starbucks on International Tea Day, to the insomnia debate sparked by the caffeine content in “Wanli Mulan,” the offline juxtaposition and online interactions between the two brands have continually ignited sparks.
A netizen visiting Cicheng Ancient Town in Ningbo snapped a photo of the large circular signs of CHAGEE and Starbucks at the entrance of an alley. Due to their placement, the logos of the two brands ended up left and right on the wall of the ancient town building, resembling a couple from afar. Even more coincidentally, against the backdrop of the surrounding stone wall decor, the red and green color scheme looked strikingly similar to gendered public restroom signage, prompting amused reactions. Netizens got creative, dubbing the scene the “restroom commercial war,” and came up with humorous comments such as “two women who’ll keep you up at night” and “Sister Ji has collarbones, proving that tea is slimmer than coffee.”
This “WC commercial war” initiated by netizens went beyond just humor, inspiring a wealth of fan art—including swapping the color schemes of the two brands’ logos, resulting in playful variants like a green songstress and a red mermaid. Although the official stances of the brands remain unknown, netizens are clearly enjoying the spectacle, even attempting to declare a winner in this unexpected pairing.
In reality, the relationship between CHAGEE and Starbucks is not as harmonious as it may seem on the surface. During a recent International Tea Day event, CHAGEE openly stated its ambition to surpass Starbucks China in domestic sales, showcasing clear market ambition and a competitive stance. Additionally, looking at the actual distribution of physical stores, the two brands are often located side by side in commercial districts or scenic spots—whether positioned left and right or facing each other vertically—leaving passersby remarking on their strong “couple vibes.”
In terms of product discussions, the tea drink “Wanli Mulan” made headlines after consumers reported difficulty sleeping after drinking it. In response, CHAGEE later clarified that a cup of “Wanli Mulan” contains roughly the same amount of caffeine as a similarly sized latte. While this statement addressed some concerns, it also reignited discussions about caffeine intake from tea drinks. Some netizens even joked, “Chinese tea = coffee = insomnia,” highlighting consumer awareness and concern regarding beverage ingredients and their effects on sleep.
Overall, this “restroom commercial war” triggered by a coincidental signage moment has not only become a hot topic online but also reflects the subtle competitive dynamics among tea and coffee brands in the current market. For consumers, beyond watching the rivalry between brands, it’s even more worthwhile to pay attention to the actual ingredients of various drinks and their potential impacts—such as how caffeine content might affect sleep—and to make more informed choices based on individual needs when selecting beverages.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
