Starbucks Celebrates CNY In Style With Custom Branded Merchandise

With the year of the pig fast approaching, Starbucks has unveiled a great range of CNY products to mark the occasion. This is a great time of year to produce custom branded merchandise as shoppers are eager to buy gifts and commemorative items.

For many, Chinese New Year is commonly linked to feelings of hopefulness, change, and growth. Effective marketing promotions often have emotional appeal, and Starbucks connects to these positive sensibilities well with their products.

What we love about Starbucks’ CNY Products:

Universal: Starbucks has a very broad appeal, so it is important to offer marketing gifts for a range of shoppers. Certain items, such as the cartoon pig toy couch set and water bottles, have clearly been designed with a young target demographic in mind. While young children may not buy from Starbucks themselves, Chinese New Year is a time of giving. Older customers would be inclined to purchase custom branded merchandise as gifts for their children or grandchildren.

Relevant: With only a few exceptions, Starbuck’s products all directly relate to the coffee chain’s products. These include thermoses and promotional printed mugs.

Eco-Friendly: Reusable coffee cups have become an increasingly popular item as customers take steps to live more sustainable lives. Customers who purchase these items will be able to use them many times, increasing their connection to the Starbucks brand. Some other cafes even offer small discounts for patrons who bring in their own cups. Starbucks may wish to consider this as it would drive sales for their reusable cups.

Effective branding: Starbucks has a positive image and has produced branded coffee mugs that shoppers will be happy to be seen using. Most items feature the Starbucks logo in a subtle way. People will instantly link this custom branded merchandise to Starbucks, increasing brand recognition.

How these items relate to CNY:

Red: This color symbolizes prosperity and happiness in Chinese culture. Present in Chinese weddings and the red envelopes given by elders, red is definitely a color for special occasions.

Yellow: Chinese people often consider yellow to be the most beautiful color. The Chinese saying “yellow generates Yin and Yang” places importance upon the color and links to neutrality. Yellow was the key color of imperial China and remains a meaningful shade.

Flowers: Peach blossom flowers are featured in the illustration. These are very popular around Chinese New Year. These sacred flowers represent romance, growth, and prosperity.

2019 – The year of the pig:

In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Many consider their chubby faces and big ears to be signs of good fortune.

As the twelfth of all zodiac animals, pigs were traditionally an unlucky animal. As one myth goes, the Jade Emperor decided the order by when the animals arrived at his party. The pig overslept and thus the emperor placed him last. However, many regard people born in the year of the pig as enthusiastic and blessed with a great personality. While they do not start with the advantage, their hard work will bring good fortune later in life.

Starbucks gets it right with their coffee shop marketing – and we’re here to ensure that your business will too. Reach out to ODM today to learn how we can help design and produce your branded CNY promotions.

Still searching for the right custom branded merchandise for Chinese New Year? Check out these other blogs below:

This fun gift with purchase offer from Kinder celebrates the year of the rooster.

This unique design is a great high-end promotional keepsake.

These red tote bags work well as CNY products but can be used year round.

Here’s another great CNY promotion from Starbucks:

This in-store display markets Ferrero’s products as suitable CNY gifts.