Lao Ji Ji Spills Coffee and Apologizes to Starbucks! "I Suspect You Did It Intentionally"

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A Viral Apology: When Lao Xiang Ji Met Starbucks

"Starbucks, I'm sorry!!! I just wanted to treat myself to a cup of coffee, but accidentally..." Along with a sincere and heart-wrenching apology letter, and a photo of coffee spilled all over a glass floor, the internet went viral.

Why did a post apologizing to Starbucks become so popular? Because the poster was Lao Xiang Ji, a chain soup brand popular across much of China.

Although the scene was devastating, netizens couldn't help but laugh through tears while gleefully following the story. Many netizens commented: "I suspect you did this on purpose, but I have no proof." Many official accounts joined in the fun, with Hongxing Erke, Meiling, Guangzhou Zhengjia Plaza, and others all enjoying the spectacle.

In response, Starbucks' official team quickly arrived at the comment section, not blaming Lao Xiang Ji, but instead expressing concern that they might have been burned by the hot coffee.

This prompted netizens who enjoy shipping relationships to play matchmaker between Lao Xiang Ji and Starbucks, enthusiastically suggesting: "You two should collaborate quickly! Launch chicken soup cold brew, chicken soup americano, chicken soup latte – these would definitely take the world by storm! After all, no coffee shop has ever tried savory coffee products before!"

Unexpected Marketing Success

Lao Xiang Ji probably never expected their apology to become so popular! Perhaps the spilled coffee was truly an accident, but since it went viral, they wisely leveraged the attention for further promotion.

The next day, officials took a handwritten apology letter in elementary school-style handwriting along with free chicken soup vouchers to the Starbucks location where the incident occurred, once again sincerely apologizing for the cleaning trouble caused by their mistake.

This sparked the shipping-obsessed netizens to imagine even more outrageous collaboration products: Starbucks Chicken Croissant, Premium Chicken Brew, Chicken Chu Blend, and so many more.

Authentic Brand Building

It must be said that Lao Xiang Ji's unconventional approach truly caught everyone off guard. Not only did it increase public awareness of their brand, but it also established an image of a company that admits mistakes, corrects errors, and apologizes sincerely.

Looking through Lao Xiang Ji's official account, it's clear they're famous for "exposing their own flaws" when it comes to quality supervision. As a chain restaurant brand, it's impossible to achieve 100% perfect hygiene in quality control management. However, the brand's frank admission and timely corrections didn't deter consumers. On the contrary, their sincerity earned them greater consumer trust.

Mutual Respect and Business Etiquette

Starbucks' official response to this incident also earned praise for their magnanimity. Many people commented that if they had accidentally spilled drinks elsewhere, dirtying windows, floors, and tables, they would probably have to clean everything themselves before being allowed to leave.

Regardless, both brands demonstrated the business acumen and grace that companies should possess during this apology exchange.

If this had involved Luckin Coffee instead of Starbucks, the next Luckin special might genuinely feature chicken soup, without even needing netizens' suggestions. After all, both brands understand young people's thinking well, and when it comes to "anti-traditional marketing" and "earthy marketing," both are masters of creating and riding trends.

Image source: Xiaohongshu