Introduction:K-pop girl group BLACKPINK member Lisa inadvertently shared a photo of her HEYTEA “Triple Thick Matcha” on social media, quickly sparking global fan discussions. HEYTEA swiftly launched a “Lisa Custom Drink” and held a “Buy One Get One Free” promotion for its global matcha series, but faced customer dissatisfaction due to ingredient shortages and production issues. This article analyzes the incident in depth and offers practical advice on selecting and enjoying matcha beverages.
BLACKPINK member Lisa recently shared a set of lifestyle photos on Instagram, where a cup of HEYTEA’s “Triple Thick Matcha” in her sports car’s cup holder became the focal point. Although this detail was accidentally captured by fans, it quickly went viral among global fandoms. HEYTEA reacted promptly, with multiple overseas official accounts claiming the “trending” photo, and introduced a special drink called the “Lisa Custom Drink.”
To capitalize on the momentum, HEYTEA hastily designed a somewhat “simple-looking” promotional poster, announcing a global “Buy One Get One Free” promotion on its matcha series across all stores. The offer included not only Lisa’s “Triple Thick Matcha” but also the newly launched “Salty Cream Thick Matcha” and two other highly-rated matcha drinks. This move instantly ignited purchasing enthusiasm among HEYTEA fans worldwide, with many queuing early at stores or scrambling to place orders via the mini-program.
However, on the day of the promotion, many mainland Chinese customers found that several matcha drinks on the official mini-program were listed as “sold out,” with some stores even removing all matcha beverages from their offerings. Numerous outlets in Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Guangxi were unable to provide the promoted products, leaving eager customers deeply disappointed. Social media was flooded with complaints, with some users commenting, “Don’t play the game if you can’t handle it,” expressing frustration over the brand’s lack of preparation.
Even customers who successfully placed orders encountered issues. Some reported ordering the new “Salty Cream Thick Matcha” but receiving a nearly matcha-free white milk beverage, sparking strong dissatisfaction over what they believed to be a preparation error. Customers felt this mistake severely impacted their overall experience, especially during a limited-time promotional event hosted by the brand.
Regarding these issues, HEYTEA staff explained that due to the unexpected popularity of the “Triple Thick Matcha” following Lisa’s Instagram post, matcha ingredients at various stores were rapidly depleted even before the event. On the day of the promotion, the limited-time offer further intensified the ingredient shortage. Many stores, due to insufficient stock, had no choice but to remove some or all matcha drinks from their menus. Additionally, the preparation process for the promotional drinks is relatively complex, involving the on-site mixing of matcha liquid and various toppings. If any ingredient ran out, staff needed to prepare it again, which could temporarily halt supply.
As for the issue of “wrong drinks being served,” observations suggest it may have been due to an overwhelming number of orders that day, leading to mistakes by busy staff. The official HEYTEA account also responded in some related discussion threads, stating its willingness to remake the correct drinks for affected customers. Nevertheless, many customers still believe that if a brand chooses to leverage celebrity influence for a limited-time offer, it should ensure adequate preparation in advance—including sufficient ingredient supply and proper staffing—to truly deliver a satisfying customer experience.
In summary, this HEYTEA matcha series marketing campaign, unintentionally sparked by Lisa’s casual photo post, while generating immense attention in the short term, also revealed shortcomings in the brand’s supply chain management and store execution when facing sudden surges in popularity. For matcha beverage enthusiasts, when making selections, it’s advisable to pay attention to factors such as the drink’s matcha concentration, ingredient sourcing, and brewing craftsmanship to enjoy a better flavor experience.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
