Leading Chinese tea brand Nayuki has partnered with the beloved French literary IP The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince in French) for a Valentine’s Day co-branding set. This is the second consecutive Valentine’s Day to feature a Nayuki x The Little Prince crossover.
During the promotional period, parched romantics can quench their thirst with the new Bossy Strawberry tea flavour in a co-branded cup with Little Prince illustrations. Nayuki customers can also take some of that magic home with co-branded stickers, fridge magnets and a keep cup with a cross-body strap. The exclusive items are available in a limited quantity on a first-come, first-served basis in selected Nayuki stores.
Dealing with universal themes of love, loss, and loneliness, The Little Prince has captured a devoted audience in China since the first Mandarin translation was published in 2003. A film version released in 2015 brought the moving tale to a new generation of Chinese fans, scoring 8.7 out of 10 on the domestic film review site Douban.
The French classic is a surprisingly sombre choice for Valentine’s Day, but serves as an interesting way for the brand to market the campaign towards a broader segment of consumers, inviting participation from singletons and friends, not just loved up couples. This is a smart choice given that many Gen Z consumers cite “self-reward” over gifting as a key purchase motivation.
February 14th is just one among 3 love-themed holidays celebrated in China every year. In addition to the traditional Qixi Festival (based on an ancient myth) in August, there is “Internet Valetine’s Day” (also called 520) celebrated on May 20 each year. The Western version of the holiday has been popular in China since the 1990s, growing into one of the major annual consumption events. However, now that Chinese consumers are growing fatigued with shopping festivals, some brands may choose to forego making major marketing efforts on Valentine’s Day.
