Japan and Pokémon have been inextricably linked for years. From rare cards to exclusive events: anything to do with Pokémon draws massive interest. But this time it got out of hand. A big fast food chain in Japan recently had to stop a popular Pokémon card promotion abruptly… all because of the enormous chaos it caused.
What exactly happened at the fast food chain in Japan?
The fast food chain started a new campaign in which customers got an exclusive Pokémon card with the purchase of a children's meal. It looked like a simple, harmless promotion. But the reality turned out differently. Restaurants soon filled up with collectors, resellers and even people with no interest in Pokémon at all who just wanted a piece of the action.
Some people bought ten or more children's meals at once, purely to improve their chances of getting that one rare card. And what happened to the food? It was simply thrown away. Social media filled with photos of bins full of unopened meals and pavements strewn with fries, burgers and packaging. An eyesore for many passers-by and, of course, bad for the environment.
Why were these cards so sought after?
As so often with limited promotions in Japan, these were popular Pokémon cards that were only available during this campaign. Some of these cards can fetch hundreds of euros on the secondary market — especially if they are kept in perfect condition and later graded PSA 10.
As a result the promotion attracted not only children, but above all adult collectors and flippers who stocked up en masse with one goal: to make a profit.
The consequences: promotion stopped immediately
After only a few hours, the fast food chain decided to stop the promotion with immediate effect. The disruption was simply too great. Staff could not handle the crowds, waste piled up, and the mood turned grim.
In an official statement the company publicly apologised for the chaos and the inconvenience. It also announced that future promotions will have stricter rules, such as a limit of one children's meal per customer – to prevent a repeat.
What does this situation teach us?
This incident shows once again how much impact Pokémon still has – not only as a franchise, but also as a cultural phenomenon. A simple card can set off a stampede. And while that underlines the strength of the brand, it also raises questions about responsibility, sustainability and how brands deal with collector hypes.
Van Gogh
This is not the first time a Pokémon promotion has caused a lot of chaos. Two years ago it also went completely wrong in the Netherlands, at the Van Gogh Museum. We wrote this blog about it at the time.
