Idaya has launched a massive advertising campaign. Of course, it only applied to a few branches in Seoul.
“Forget all the Americanos you’ve had until now! Try the Americano made with 100% Starlight Coffee Beans!”
Every time Starlight Food released new products, it caused a sensation. So now, there was no one who didn’t know the name Starlight Food. It used to be like a small hole-in-the-wall store selling snacks and other small food items, but now it had grown into a major corporation that could rival big food companies.
The number of products sold under the Starlight Food name in supermarkets kept increasing. Especially since they were essential items that people absolutely had to consume, like electronics or cosmetics, they left a stronger impression on the public.
You could live without a TV or other electronics, though it would be a hassle. But you couldn’t live without food. That’s why it’s called one of the three basic human needs.
“Are they really making Americano with Starlight Coffee Beans?”
“Doesn’t it sound delicious? From what I know, there hasn’t been a single bad-tasting food item from Starlight Food. There were plenty of incredibly tasty ones, though.”
“Do coffee beans grow in our country? I’m curious about how those coffee beans taste.”
“I tried it with my friends last time, and it was on a whole different level. The Americano from other coffee shops felt like dirty water in comparison.”
“Their events are no joke. Idaya must be making a lot of money. They’re spending so much on promotion.”
Idaya started selling coffee made with Starlight Coffee Beans. During this sales period, they prepared events limited to Seoul, not all regional branches. Buy two Americanos, get one free—2+1 deals were just the basics. They also offered discounts for teenagers, couples, and married couples, giving customers every possible way to save.
Furthermore, if the Seoul event proved successful, they planned to gradually expand it nationwide. Of course, franchise locations across the country would also need to adopt Starlight Coffee Beans. While their existing coffee was decent, the coffee made with Starlight Coffee Beans was far more delicious.
On top of that, they prepared free gifts that no consumer could resist. These gifts were set to be available simultaneously at all branches nationwide, even though those branches weren’t yet selling Starlight Coffee Beans.
– To commemorate the introduction of Starlight Coffee Beans, we’ll hold a raffle for customers who purchase coffee for two months. Post your commemorative photos on SNS for a chance to win generous prizes.
– 1,000 winners will receive a 10,000-won Idaya gift certificate.
– 500 winners will get an exclusive Idaya tumbler.
– 20 winners will receive the latest model mobile phone.
– One lucky winner will get a Genesis car sponsored by Idaya (Idaya will cover the taxes).
In a way, the promotion costs could be covered just by buying Starlight Coffee Beans, which were cheaper than imported coffee beans. The price of Starlight Coffee Beans was significantly lower than that of imported ones, though this was an exclusive contract with Idaya. Other franchise coffee shops wouldn’t get the same discount when buying coffee beans.
Not only regular Idaya customers but also other consumers were thrilled by the event. Even just giving away a free Americano would normally create endless lines, but with so many free gifts, consumers nationwide were going wild. Especially online, the event details caused a frenzy.
“Is this for real? They’re giving all this away?”
“I heard Idaya’s coffee made with Starlight Coffee Beans is delicious. Look at them rowing hard.”
“I’m already in line… During the event period, waiting for hours will be the norm. Maybe I should go somewhere else just to participate in the SNS event.”
“I’m already waiting an hour just to get one Americano. I’m basically dead. But the annoying part is that the coffee is so good, I know I’ll wait anyway…”
“By the way, is that last free gift for real? I heard that model costs over 100 million won, and they’re giving it away for free? Plus, Idaya is covering the taxes? No reason not to take it.”
“If I win, I’ll probably sell it right away. The maintenance and insurance costs are too much. But still, I hope I win.”
These days, it’s the internet age, right? Idaya’s event spread rapidly through SNS. And once it hit online communities, it spread like wildfire, unstoppable. The power of media.
It was amazing. Nowadays, everyone carries a mobile phone, so the speed of information acquisition was on a whole different level. Wherever someone does something, if it pops up in the news like this, it’s only a matter of time before the whole nation knows.
In line with the event, the Idaya event-designated cafes were packed with customers lining up to use them. It was natural that there was no space to sit in the cafe, and it was overflowing with people ordering coffee to participate in the event. It had the effect of relatively reducing the sales of nearby cafes.
In contrast to the long line in front of Idaya, the cafes right next to it had few customers. However, some tired customers waiting in line did use other cafes.
And since the event using SNS was spread nationwide regardless of the branch, Idaya cafes across the country were screaming with joy. It was like a money shower.
On SNS, reviews of Idaya Coffee with various hashtags began to flood in. People hoping to apply for the event and win were diligently writing reviews. And since putting more effort into the review might increase the chances of winning, you could even see long reviews.
How to get a prize? Some wrote creatively, others diligently. However, since Starlight Coffee Beans weren’t supplied nationwide, there were minor differences online.
– I tried it because the mobile phone was tempting, and the coffee taste is no joke. Should Starbucks be nervous? If Idaya Coffee is of this quality and taste, there’s no reason to go to other cafes. And it’s not even expensive.
– Isn’t the coffee taste just so-so? And I tried it at Idaya, but I didn’t feel anything particularly special or good.
– That’s because you went to a different branch. You have to go to the Idaya branch in this to try coffee made with Starlight Coffee Beans. It might seem viral, but you can really taste a different level of coffee. Highly recommended if you live in Seoul.
– Ah, us locals are crying again. Damn, I came down to the countryside for a job, and there’s nothing good here.
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I rolled around on the bed. The sun was already high, but the fun of rolling around in the room only increased. It must be because it’s the second elementary school vacation I’ve experienced in my life, so it felt even more enjoyable. Of course, vacations happen several times a year, but I was sure that no one else in this world has experienced the summer vacation of third grade elementary school twice except me.
I placed snacks on the bed and was reading comics and novels on my mobile phone. It was a site that required payment, but money was almost infinite to me. I had signed up for a system that automatically recharged when the money ran out, so I could read infinitely.
A few tens of thousands of won might disappear each day, but it was like scooping a spoonful of sand from a sandy beach. The boss said that by the time I become an adult, I would be the richest person in Korea. Of course, I thought the best rich person is the one no one knows about.
A rich person who is rich but not famous! Isn’t that the best kind of rich person? I thought rich people who aren’t photographed by cameras or interested in like celebrities but live like ordinary people were better.
“What are you doing, Hana?”
Then Maru came into the room and said. She probably knew I was rolling around in the room. Did she think I was bored? Of course, I was bored. If it were my original body, I would have called friends to play together, but unfortunately, the connections from my past life had long been severed.
If I suggested meeting now, they would surely give me strange looks. No, before that, my parents would probably push me to go.
“I’m just here!”
Maru, hearing my answer, took something out and said.
“If you’re bored, why don’t we go here to play, Hana?”
What Maru showed was a poster for a fireworks festival.
