On 28 April, Starbucks officially announced that Mayday would be the brand’s Summer Ambassador, inviting everyone to enjoy the warmth of May at Starbucks. Starting 29 April, customers who order a grande or larger size of any new Frappuccino will have a chance to receive a limited-edition Mayday card.
Starbucks has also teamed up with the hip-hop brand STAYREAL, co-founded by Mayday’s lead singer Ashin and Taiwanese designer NO2GOOD, to launch four limited-edition items: a glass cup, a thermos, a luggage tag, and a card holder. Starbucks’ Bear Manager, Bearista, has partnered with STAYREAL’s MOJO FAMILY to spread summer joy and energy.
The newly introduced Frappuccinos, the Strawberry Lava Cheese Bubble Frappuccino and the Triple Cheese Latte, are both delicious and pair perfectly with Mayday’s music and lyrics. Two classic limited-edition drinks also make a return: the Belgium Dark Chocolate Frappuccino and Belgium Dark Chocolate Latte.
However, on 28 April, many customers reported issues with the Starbucks app’s system crashing. A staff member from a Starbucks store responded to a media inquiry, saying, “A lot of people are competing for Mayday cups, so the system might be lagging a bit.” Some customers received automatic cancellations after making payments and suspect store employees might be keeping inventory for themselves or reselling.
On China’s leading second-hand marketplace Xianyu, the co-branded glass cup, originally priced at 199 RMB (28 USD), is being resold for 500 RMB (70 USD), and the co-branded thermos, originally priced at 249 RMB (35 USD), is being resold for 799 RMB (112 USD). This controversy and price markup highlight the commercial impact of celebrity IP collaborations and the supply-demand imbalance. Starbucks continues to create scarcity through limited-edition collaborations and merchandise, and past events, like the “cat paw cup,” show how such marketing strategies quickly boost the brand’s buzz and visibility.
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