The Marketing Maestro’s Move: From a Critical Review, a Tea Transforms From $8 to a Best-Selling Sensation With an Unbelievable Twist of Fate

A glass of lychee tea, priced at VND 160,000, from furniture designer Thai Cong has recently sparked an interesting online debate.

The “battle” began with a video by a girl named Pham San. In the video, she visited Thai Cong Cafe and ordered the lychee tea.

In the short 18-second clip, Pham San shared that lychee tea is her favorite drink, and she orders it everywhere she goes. However, after taking a sip, her concise review was, “I don’t like the lychee tea here!”

This candid review went viral, attracting millions of views, as netizens appreciated her honest and direct approach without any fluff.

The video caught the attention of Thai Cong himself, who responded with a playful rebuttal.

In his video, Thai Cong mimicked Pham San’s actions and dialogue but with a twist: he declared, “I really like the lychee tea here!”

Thai Cong’s video exploded on social media, racking up 7.5 million views. He then created more similar videos featuring different characters. But he didn’t stop there; Thai Cong made a surprising move by offering a buy-one-get-one promotion for customers who came to enjoy the lychee tea at his cafe.

Additionally, customers who filmed and posted their reviews on TikTok stood a chance to win a crystal glass worth VND 6.9 million, the same glass used to serve the lychee tea.

The renowned designer also revealed the secret behind his expensive tea: it’s made with premium ingredients, including TWG tea (a luxury tea brand from Singapore) priced at VND 5 million/kg, Monin lychee syrup (approximately VND 200,000/700ml bottle), and a secret recipe “magic” water. Customers also get to enjoy this luxurious drink in an elegant space surrounded by million-dollar furniture pieces.

Thai Cong’s marketing campaign was a huge success, as evidenced by the influx of customers flocking to his cafe to taste the famous lychee tea.

Thai Cong, known as the “marketing king,” lived up to his reputation. After Pham San’s review, his lychee tea faced criticism for its price not matching the quality. However, instead of staying silent, Thai Cong turned the tables, transforming a potential crisis into an opportunity with an unexpected strategy.

He consistently posted videos mentioning the lychee tea, piquing viewers’ curiosity. At the end of each video, he would leave a positive review, “I like the lychee tea here!”

Once he had captured the online community’s attention, Thai Cong launched promotions and a contest with valuable prizes, leveraging the power of social media to spread the word about his product and brand.