Introduction:The trademark dispute that unfolded at "People's Coffee" not only led to a brand name change and store adjustments, but also sparked widespread discussion on the compliance of commercial terminology. From the temporary closure of its first national store to the successive renaming of outlets across the country, this article will take you through the full story, official responses, and the actual impact on consumers.
Recently, the chain coffee brand "People's Coffee" has drawn significant market attention due to inconsistencies between its brand name and trademark usage. Media reports pointed out that the use of the word "People" in its signage could easily mislead consumers and might even harm the image of this term, which carries public significance. Additionally, the logo actually used by the brand showed clear differences from the registered trademark design, violating China’s Trademark Law requirements for consistent trademark usage.
Under public pressure, the parent company of the brand, "Yaochao People's Coffee," officially issued a statement on November 8, publicly apologizing and pledging to make corrections. According to the statement, all stores in mainland China will be uniformly renamed "Yaochao People's Coffee" to comply with registered trademark regulations. However, in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas markets, the original name "People's Coffee" will be retained to accommodate different market regulations and cultural contexts.
What particularly upset netizens in this incident was a short video account named "People's Coffee (Hebei)," which had posted comments such as "Let me ask you, are you even Chinese?" This provoked widespread outrage. The brand quickly clarified that the account was not affiliated with them and apologized for its extreme remarks, stating that such language seriously violated the brand’s values.
The statement also noted that the brand will comprehensively review and replace all online and offline promotional materials to ensure that all store signs display the prefix "Yaochao" and that all marketing and advertising materials uniformly use the name "Yaochao People's Coffee." This move is not only aimed at ensuring compliance but also at rebuilding the brand image and regaining consumer trust.
Adjustments at physical stores were also swiftly implemented. On the evening of November 7, the brand’s first national store, located at Shanghai’s Sihang Warehouse, temporarily suspended operations. According to staff, the store currently has no inventory of drinks or merchandise, and a full-scale adjustment is planned for the future. By the afternoon of November 8, the store had closed its doors and posted a handwritten "Temporarily Closed" notice, while online platforms indicated an "Internal Adjustment" status.
In Beijing, the "People's Coffee" at Qianmen Street responded quickly by replacing its original sign with "Yaochao People's Coffee," mainly by adding the smaller text "Yaochao" in the upper left corner of the original "People's Coffee" wording, without making major changes to the overall layout. Although the sign has been updated, consumables such as in-store drink cups and takeaway paper bags still temporarily retain the old design. Observations on-site showed that several coffees originally priced around 30 yuan have had their prices reduced, with most now falling below 20 yuan. The cheapest Americano is now only 9.8 yuan, making it more appealing and affordable to consumers.
According to staff on-site, the decision to change the sign was made promptly after the public controversy. They also admitted that the word "People" in the brand name is similar to the name of certain well-known media outlets, which could easily cause confusion, hence they deemed it necessary to add "Yaochao." However, regarding whether the font of the sign resembles that of the "People's Daily" and whether it involves copyright issues, the staff member stated that they were not at liberty to comment.
The trademark dispute involving "People's Coffee" is not just a renaming event for a single brand, but also reflects the need for extra caution when using public terminology in business naming and marketing. For consumers, besides paying attention to brand name changes, they should also observe whether there has been any substantial improvement in product quality and service content. For the industry, this incident serves as an important warning: trademark usage must strictly adhere to registration standards to avoid jeopardizing long-term brand development due to shortsighted actions.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
