80th anniversary of the Lukullus patisserie - image crisis or intentional action?
The Warsaw patisserie, Lukullus, is celebrating its eightieth anniversary, but it was not the confectionery products that became the element that caused the giant popularity of this jubilee. The main motif of the campaign became the “LXXX” sign (Roman “80”) in magenta, which appeared both as spray-painted graffiti on the facades and shop windows of Lukullus premises, as well as a new logo on the website. It was the graffiti that became the flashpoint – and although it appeared in all of the patisserie’s locations, in various points across Warsaw, the promotional campaign in Saska Kępa sparked the strongest reaction. The local premises there, located on Francuska Street, are under the protection of the conservator of monuments, and – as it turned out later – the owners of the patisserie had not obtained the required permits for the interference with the building’s facade.
The owners of Lukullus admitted that their point of reference was the high-profile campaign of the French luxury department store chain Printemps, accompanying the opening of their first American branch in the historic One Wall Street building in Manhattan (2024/2025). Printemps, a brand with over 150 years of tradition, faced the challenge of how to enter the New York market without evoking associations with “dusty” European luxury? The strategy involved a clash of Parisian elegance with the raw, urban energy of New York. The campaign launched in full swing in 2024, preparing the ground for the flagship store opening in the spring of 2025. The French used a mechanism named by experts as “luxury vandalism”. The characteristic yellow taxis were painted green (the brand’s lead colour) and covered with handwritten inscriptions that imitated street tags.
Inscriptions resembling quick graffiti appeared on building elements and temporary installations in the financial district. They looked spontaneous and illegal, though in reality, they were a precisely planned element of the urban scenery. Serif, classic fonts were also abandoned in favour of sweeping, “quick” spray strokes. In New York, this campaign was hailed as a success – it was perceived as a tribute to the graffiti culture that was born in the city in the 70s and 80s. Thanks to this, Printemps gained the image of a modern brand that is not afraid to “get its hands dirty” with urban aesthetics. The application of the same mechanism by Lukullus in Warsaw, however, produced completely different results. While in Manhattan, accustomed to visual chaos and constant change, the action blended into the fabric of the city, in Saska Kępa – an area of a residential and historic character – it was interpreted as a violation of local peace and heritage. This shows that context is key, the same marketing strategy can be perceived as a brilliant dialogue with the city in New York and as a conservationist’s breach in Warsaw. As a result of numerous reports from residents and the media, the Masovian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments took up the case. In a statement issued by the office on Facebook, we read:
On 12.01.2026, representatives of the Control and Grants Department of the WUOW in Warsaw conducted control activities of the building facade at 29 Walecznych St. in Warsaw.
It was confirmed that in the ground floor part of the building facade from the side of Francuska St., the inscription “LXXX” in magenta colour was applied with spray paint, as part of a marketing campaign of the patisserie located there. No conservation permit was obtained for the implementation of the aforementioned action, which is required due to the fact that the building at 29 Walecznych St. is located in an area entered into the register of monuments of the historic urban layout of Saska Kępa. During the inspection, the co-owner of the patisserie stated that he would immediately (as soon as weather conditions allow) lead to the removal of the applied graffiti, restoring the building facade to its previous state.
The dispute, which initially concerned aesthetics, turned into a broader debate: can a prestigious brand, acting in the name of “creative rebellion”, bypass administrative duties and does this not create a precedent for other, similar actions in the future? According to the capital’s conservator of monuments, Michał Krasucki, such behaviour may “legitimise illegal scribbles”. Regardless of the ethical assessment, from a purely marketing perspective, the Lukullus campaign proved to be a reach phenomenon. In an era of information noise, in which traditional advertisements are often ignored, the pink graffiti managed to “ignite” public opinion almost instantly – within a few days it became a subject of analysis in media of various profiles and fired up local neighbourhood groups. The effectiveness of this action is confirmed by the fact that it was covered by the largest city portals, industry media and national services. The effectiveness of this action was based on deliberate polarisation. The action forced recipients to take a stand, and extreme emotions became fuel for algorithms. The “LXXX” symbol became a riddle that the media were eager to explain, giving the brand free advertising space, the financial equivalent (AVE) of which can be estimated in hundreds of thousands of pounds.
In response to the growing criticism, the owners of Lukullus published a statement that became as important an element of the debate as the advertisement itself. Albert Judycki and Jacek Malarski used the language of an artistic manifesto, speaking of the “colour of rebellion, passion and the future”. In their narrative, the neon graffiti is an expression of faith in the city’s dynamism and an attempt to “disenchant” ossified tradition as well as adding a story to the brand from a great-grandson’s perspective.
Dear Persons,
This is LXXX, Roman eighty, the sign of our eightieth birthday. It has the colour of Magenta – the colour of rebellion, passion and the future. We decided to celebrate this venerable jubilee by looking into the future precisely, beyond the horizon line visible to the eye. We want to tell the story of Lukullus from the perspective of an imagined great-grandson and not only from the perspective of grandfather Jan Dynowski, who opened the patisserie in 1946 at Stalowa St. in Praga. We want to dream, not be in a museum. Think about 2046!
We love Warsaw, we consider it the “best city in the world”, we feel part of its landscape, we feel that we co-create it. You know that Beauty is important to us. You know our cakes, packaging and premises created by the best Polish architects. You have trusted us and liked us for years, for which we thank you!
Placing the new logo on the windows of our premises in the form of graffiti outraged some. This was not our goal. We apologise to those dissatisfied. Especially strong apologies are due to the community of Saska Kępa. We feel silly that we infuriated you. Forgive us!
The graffiti was intended to be temporary, for a moment. Due to the mood in the Kępa, we will remove it quickly, as soon as the weather allows. From the remaining locations, LXXX will disappear in the first days of February. We promise (and such was our plan) that the windows will be brought to an ideal state, cleaned and where such a necessity arises – painted.
We believe that Tradition is not meant to be bowed to humbly. We believe that Tradition should be a springboard to the future. We believe that only by reinventing It, will it remain alive.
We are eighty years old and have the impression that this is only the beginning. Satiated by Your creative dynamism Warsaw and some inconceivable love of change – we are going for a hundred! Intact in yellow (and pink :)). This is how we want to celebrate our jubilee!
Albert and Jacek
This statement, however, presents us with a fundamental question: does being a liked, “cool” company with high aesthetic values justify its superiority over existing procedures? In the public discussion, two positions have emerged. Fans of the brand argue that Lukullus has cared for the aesthetics of Warsaw for years, so a one-off “artistic prank” should be taken with a pinch of salt. In this view, the quality of the brand is meant to legitimise their actions outside of procedures.Opponents point out that the law (including the act on the protection of monuments) must be equal for everyone. If we grant Lukullus the right to bypass consents because they “do it in style”, or have been a brand for years whose identity is strongly linked to the city, we lose the mandate to punish others for less aesthetic advertising self-will. If we analyse similar cases from the past, we come to the conclusion that the strategy of “it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission” is not new. For example, Tiger Energy Drink in its 2017 creative presented a graphic of a hand with the middle finger extended, with a caption referring to the date of 1st August, commemorating the Warsaw Uprising. Much like Lukullus, the campaign was intended to stir controversy, although here a historical sentiment was deliberately hit (it seems that Lukullus either underestimated this aspect and ignored the fact that it might outrage someone in the context of the lack of the conservator’s consent, or simply factored it into the marketing costs). After the publication of the scandalous post, on the anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, the Maspex company had to pay 500,000 PLN to the account of the World Association of Home Army Soldiers. This is also an example of a situation where the violation of intangible values forced a total change in the brand’s communication. The consumer boycott was so strong that the responsible agency was dismissed, and the brand had to undergo a complete process of “cleansing” its image, giving up aggressive communication in favour of pro-social activities.
The “LXXX” campaign is an example of an operation whose final balance is complex. The main success of Lukullus is the massive advertising equivalent. The cost of reaching such a wide audience (from locals in Saska Kępa to readers of national portals) through traditional means would be incomparably higher than any administrative fines. The brand also successfully achieved the goal of rejuvenating its image. By using graffiti aesthetics and neon magenta, Lukullus stepped out of the role of a “traditional patisserie” and showed that it can be a provocative brand, which may attract a new, younger group of customers for whom “rebellion” is an attractive value. On the loss side, one should primarily note the crack in the premium brand image. For years, Lukullus built its position on elegance, sophistication and great attention to architectural detail (as seen in the decor of their premises). The guerrilla action without conservation consents hit this consistency – for part of the existing, loyal clientele, this action became a negation of the values for which they valued the brand. Equally important is the cost in relations with public institutions. The breach of trust with the Masovian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments may result in the brand’s future applications for changes in premises (installation of awnings, neons or terraces) being considered with significantly greater rigour. This is the price of a “legal shortcut”, which may only manifest itself in a few years.
Bibliography and sources
- Warszawa Nasze Miasto: Konserwator zabytków skomentował kontrowersyjną reklamę.
- https://tvn24.pl/tvnwarszawa/praga-poludnie/warszawa-reakcja-konserwatora-zabytkow-na-rozowy-napis-na-elewacji-cukierni-st884983
- https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/tiger-na-instagramie-fuckiem-dla-1-sierpnia-jako-dnia-pamieci-marka-krytykowana-za-kpiny-z-powstania-warszawskiego,7171603405740161a
- https://milkagency.com/work/printemps
