CHAGEE teams up with Hello Kitty for a festive regional push
CHAGEE’s Hello Kitty holiday collab blends collectibles, cocoa, and community in a region-wide push
CHAGEE is giving holiday marketing a flavorful twist this year with its latest regional collaboration featuring Sanrio’s Tanned Hello Kitty.
The partnership, which kicked off on December 12, blends a festive in-store and pop-up experience with exclusive merchandise and a limited-edition seasonal drink. It is designed to bring a sense of warmth and connection to tea lovers across Asia.
This article explores how CHAGEE is using character IP, experiential marketing, and collectible culture to drive regional footfall and brand affinity this holiday season. It also breaks down what marketers can take away from this cross-border festive campaign.
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Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- What happened: CHAGEE's regional holiday campaign
- Context: Character IP, cocoa drinks, and cross-market playbooks
- What marketers should know: tactics to borrow from CHAGEE’s campaign
Patrecia Meliana
CHAGEE's regional holiday campaign
The centerpiece of the campaign is the “CHAGEE loves Hello Kitty” pop-up, running from December 13 to 22 along Orchard Road in Singapore, outside Mandarin Gallery. The five-stop trail features a cozy cabin entrance, a DIY bauble station, a festive photo zone, and a tea bar serving the new Cocoa Oolong Milk Tea.
Visitors collect stamps at each station, completing the trail to redeem Hello Kitty rewards. The same concept is rolling out across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, CHAGEE outlets have launched in-store activations with themed decor and merchandise displays.
At the heart of the experience is the Cocoa Oolong Milk Tea, which blends premium Oolong tea from the UNESCO-listed Wuyi Mountains with cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire’s Gold Belt. The result is a roasted fragrance followed by a velvety cocoa finish. Sold at SG$5.20 for regular and SG$6.20 for large, it comes in limited-edition packaging and an exclusive thermal carrier bag.
Fans can also grab seasonal merchandise, including a Snuggle Snap hair clip, Cuddle Sling bag, and Hello Kitty plush charms. Some are bundled with drinks to drive volume. For example, buying two large Cocoa Oolong Milk Teas gets you a Snuggle Snap, while a bundle with the Cuddle Sling is priced at SG$21.20.
Patrecia Meliana
Character IP, cocoa drinks, and cross-market playbooks
Sanrio’s Tanned Hello Kitty has been gaining fresh traction in Asia, thanks to her sun-kissed charm and easygoing personality. Pairing her with a warm seasonal tea is no accident. The character’s aesthetic fits CHAGEE’s brand message of pausing, reconnecting, and creating shared moments.
This campaign follows a similar playbook to CHAGEE’s earlier tie-up with POP MART’s Hacipupu. That campaign centered around a tennis-themed “Little Champion” pop-up with station-based interactions, drink sampling, and exclusive collectibles. The result was a regional rollout that fused product, experience, and IP into one engagement funnel.
By repeating and refining that strategy, CHAGEE has built a framework that:
- Leverages emotional storytelling with familiar characters
- Uses gamified pop-ups to encourage deeper interaction
- Drives store visits and purchase intent through bundled exclusives
- Creates social shareability with limited-edition visuals and photo zones
It is a layered, multi-channel approach that turns tea into an occasion rather than just a transaction.
Patrecia Meliana
What marketers should know
CHAGEE’s Hello Kitty campaign is more than just cute branding. It offers practical lessons for marketers looking to drive seasonal engagement, boost store visits, and increase average order value across regions. Here are three tactics worth noting:
1. Seasonal IP works best when it fits the mood
CHAGEE didn’t just license Hello Kitty. It selected a variant that aligned with the season’s emotional tone. Tanned Hello Kitty brings a warm, casual feel that matches the comforting appeal of the Cocoa Oolong Milk Tea. This emotional congruence strengthens the story.
2. Pop-ups are now conversion funnels
CHAGEE uses pop-ups not just as branding tools but as structured journeys with conversion points. From the stamp card to the reward counter, every step nudges customers toward higher spend and more time on site.
3. Merch bundling increases average spend
The Snuggle Snap and Cuddle Sling aren’t just accessories. They’re triggers for bundling behavior. By offering gifts with purchase and exclusive pricing, CHAGEE increases AOV without discounting the core product. It is a smart move for marketers looking to drive revenue from seasonal SKUs.
