The use of a mug in-store increased from 10% to 85% in just 4 days. First produced mugs were sold out in just 3 days in spite of the high price. Hot buzz was generated in the media and SNS. So far, free PR effect is equivalent to $2 million with a low budget expense (production cost:10$ per mug) even though it has just launched early April. We are confident this result is just the beginning.

Two-sided mugs were introduced at the flagship premium store, TOM N TOMS The Calypso and 10 more normal stores in Seoul. Subsequently we have been increasing the number of stores to do the promotion and the client plans to apply the two-sided mugs to all 400 stores within 2014 and probably some abroad soon. We also sell the mugs at $20 as brand merchandise, which encourage people to use mugs at the office instead of paper cups. Certain mothers bought them to educate their children.

As coffee franchises have grown strong in Seoul, dumped paper cups that cause global warming have increased to 0.7 billion per year. The main problem is they are being used EVEN IN STORES and people rationalize their conduct by “It’s merely ONE CUP!” TOM N TOMS COFFEE with 400 stores in Korea needed a breakthrough.

To change people’s way of thinking by engaging experience, one cup changes the world, we found the mug itself would be the best media to make it happen. We created two-sided mugs that show the change immediately. Hidden visual illustrating return of things on the planet appears as part painted of thermo active inks disappears with hot liquid. An endangered owl, stars and leaves appear. An endangered wolf with moon appears. Seoul underwater: returns to its original beauty. Smoking chimneys turn back into trees. But it happens only if you go for a mug, not a paper cup.