Chagee has positioned itself as a premium tea brand, with cultural sophistication at its core. Its collaborations reflect this – from co-branding with the Forbidden City Palace Museum to partnerships with designer Angel Chen at Shanghai Fashion Week 2024, and a Van Gogh-themed collection that combines fine art and tea culture.
It is also endorsed by Zheng Qinwen, Olympic gold medalist in tennis, aligning the brand closely with wellness and active lifestyle. These partnerships also reinforce its aspirational narrative to young, upwardly mobile consumers.
Luckin Coffee, by contrast, focuses on urban, youthful convenience. Its intellectual property (IP) partnerships – with blockbuster video game Black Myth: Wukong, beloved children’s show Sesame Street, viral mascot Butterbear, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets – project a vibrant, accessible image. Celebrity endorsements from Liu Yifei and Jackson Yee further amplify Luckin’s appeal among Gen Z and millennial customers.
Meanwhile, Mixue leans fully into its mass-market roots. Rather than associating with high-profile celebrities, it has built a brand identity around catchy jingles and its own IP – its mascot Snow King is instantly recognisable online and across suburban and rural China.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/chagee-mixue-luckin-china-chains-global-success-5086271
