03/05/2026
In Manchester a couple of weeks ago there was a huge queue forming around a Boohoo branded truck.
First thought that comes to mind… “there must be a celebrity there.”
There wasn’t.
People were queueing for a free matcha served in a branded cup.
And it worked.
Hundreds of people stood waiting. Phones out. Photos taken. Stories posted. Tags flying around Instagram. See for yourself, check out on Instagram.
It’s a good reminder that you don’t need to be a coffee shop to use branded cups.
This wasn’t about drinks.
This was about attention.
Matcha, pistachio, ube… these aren’t just flavours, they’re trends people want to be seen with.
Combine that with a physical product in hand, and suddenly your brand is:
* In photos
* On social media
* Shared organically
All from the cost of a drink, highly likely that each free drink giveaway cost BooHoo less than a view or click paid ad on social media or Google.
We see it more and more, brands outside of hospitality using cups as part of their marketing strategy.
At Printed Cup Company, we produce high quality branded PET and paper cups for businesses and brands around the world, not just coffee shops.
We work with most of the well known clothing brands, the usual question we get asked is “why do they need cups”, here is the reason!
If you’re planning a brand activation, giveaway, or campaign and want your brand in people’s hands (and on their social feeds), it’s worth thinking about how something as simple as a cup can play a big role.
Because sometimes, the smallest touchpoints create the biggest visibility.
