Luckin Coffee (瑞幸) is tapping into an enduring internet joke to push a very practical message: go bigger. The brand has named entrepreneur and internet personality Luo Yonghao (罗永浩) as its ‘supersize cup ambassador’, reviving his long-circulating skit about the confusion between medium, large and extra-large cup sizes.
For those that didn’t catch it the first time around, back in 2011, Luo self-directed a short film called Happiness at 59cm: Pony. It featured a now-classic cafe order scene. Asking for a medium-sized cup, he’s repeatedly corrected by a barista insisting the sizes don’t mean what he thinks they do. The exchange spirals into frustration, ending with Luo slapping himself. The clip struck a relatable note with viewers, becoming shorthand for consumer exasperation with overcomplicated brand logic.
Luckin’s campaign replays the setup, but rewrites the ending. The original female co-star returns, now cast as a Luckin barista introducing the brand’s cup sizes. Viewers are primed for another meltdown. Instead, Luo calmly orders five supersized Orange C Americanos, landing the pitch in one move: more coffee, better value, no confusion required.
Where the original joke mocked convoluted naming, Luckin positions itself as the simpler, more rational alternative. The product message is straightforward, but the delivery leans on collective memory to do the heavy lifting.
The Luckin Luo Yonghao campaign is backed by a week-long promotion. From March 23 to 29, Luckin is handing out 30,000 free upsizing vouchers daily through its app and mini programme, encouraging users to upgrade large drinks to supersize or extra-large formats.
The partnership itself isn’t new. Luckin has been working with Luo Yonghao since last year, including sponsorship of his video podcast and earlier content collaborations. This latest outing shows the relationship settling into its rhythm: familiar face, familiar joke, this time repurposed with a different commercial intent.
