Food & Beverage – Premium Bubble Tea

The Challenge:

Chicha San Chen, an award-winning premium tea house, was preparing to open its second Texas location in Carrollton—a competitive market with a growing number of bubble tea options. Despite their global recognition, the brand was relatively unknown locally, and the Carrollton store’s location in a newly developed plaza meant low default foot traffic. The challenge was to generate excitement, drive footfall, and create local buzz before the official grand opening.

The Solution:

We executed a high-impact soft opening strategy focused on digital buzz and influencer momentum. Our work included:

• Event Planning & Strategy: Designed a structured soft launch timeline that would build anticipation and sustain engagement leading up to grand opening

• Influencer Experience: Coordinated targeted outreach and invited top-tier Dallas-area foodie and lifestyle influencers to a curated preview experience

• Content Production: Produced short-form video content and story-style recaps tailored to Instagram Reels and TikTok, built around crave-worthy visuals and award-winning teas

• On-Site Experience: Assisted influencers and creators on-site during the event to ensure smooth flow, brand-aligned visuals, and shareable moments

The Carrollton soft launch became a test case for the brand’s expansion strategy—and it delivered.

The Results:

• Viral Content: Our own content hit 100K+ views; influencer videos and stories brought in significant traffic

• Massive Turnout: Carrollton’s soft launch led to 2-hour lines throughout opening weekend

• Expansion Win: The overwhelming success directly led to Chicha San Chen bringing us on again to execute the Houston soft opening

• Brand Momentum: Both locations saw strong initial performance that sustained well beyond opening week

Key Takeaway:

A powerful soft opening isn't just about early buzz—it’s about establishing presence, energy, and brand loyalty from day one. By researching each market aggressively and activating the right creators, we helped Chicha San Chen launch big in unfamiliar territories. The result? A ripple effect that’s still growing—and three thriving locations in Texas.