MARKETING Magazine Asia

With a fun-loving mascot and a catchy tune, Bask Bear is roaring to match the energy of a new generation of young and healthier drinkers.

With over 150 outlets across Malaysia and 500,000 app members, Bask Bear matches the accessibility of industry giants both online and offline.

The rebrand emphasises serving confidence in every bite and sip. Bask Bear needed a distinctive character to convey this message to the masses. Collaborating with the team at TBWA KL, a mascot was created to stand out and embody Bask Bear’s motto, “Taste the Confidence”.

Small in size, you say?

Drawing inspiration from the brand’s existing logo featuring the Malayan Sun Bear, despite being the smallest species of bear, it has the longest tongue in the bear family.

The Malayan Sun Bear can stretch its tongue 20-25 centimetres long. This ability of its comically long tongue is one that exudes ultimate confidence. Thriving on this charisma, Brader BLE was born.

Apa tu ‘BLE’?

Tay Kai Wei, Head of Brand at Bask Bear, translates this best, “B.L.E is my eating ritual when I’m slurping and enjoying toasties and a good cup of coffee. It stands for ‘Bite, Lick, Enjoy’. Just three steps! Super easy to remember.”

Starting with in-store murals and canvases of Brader BLE quotes paired with packaging that taught customers how to B.L.E (Bite, Lick, Enjoy), Bask Bear is going everywhere covering all of Malaysia as Bask Bear’s new mascot.

From retail packaging to in-store makeovers, Brader BLE and his message of “Bite, Lick, Enjoy to Taste the Confidence” is activated. He is quirky, whimsical, and fun to be around – when they think of Bask Bear, they think of Brader BLE.

Launching it with a catchy music video featuring Brader BLE as the hero, Brader BLE defeats the enemy of confidence, “Fear”, with a twirl of his elastic tongue while twerking and dabbing to the beat.

BLE for its expansion

Since Bask Bear’s brand refresh in May, the company has seen remarkable growth of 30% in sales, with brand mentions surging by 67%.

This momentum has been further fueled by the expansion of their menu to include burgers and chicken tenders, which has ignited a viral debate online.

Reviews from KOLs have generated mixed opinions but have led to a staggering 400% increase in brand mentions in July.

In line with how their mascot Brader BLE would further drive awareness on the product, Bask Bear secured a prime DOOH spot in Bukit Bintang, directly above Malaysia’s biggest burger brand, with a cheeky message claiming that Ronald is Bask Bear’s happy customer who prefers their burgers.

Collectively, Bask Bear generate a total of 10.4 million impression in a month with their DOOH placements in KL, Petaling Jaya, and Penang.

With these strategic efforts, this buzz has translated into a significant boost in sales, with the new menu items exceeding initial projections by 275%. Hence, placing Bask Bear closer to its goal of becoming a Top 3 coffee player in Malaysia.

Soul of Bask Bear

In the Founder and CEO of Loob Holding, Bryan Loo’s words, “Brader BLE is the icon we are trying to build here, to excite, relate and engage with young drinkers. Our soul is in Brader BLE..” taken from Astro Awani “Jiwa SME” interview. Loob Holding is the largest beverage company in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.