In an age where brand collaborations often feel manufactured, Gigi Coffee’s latest campaign is a refreshing reminder that authenticity and creative synergy still pack the biggest punch.
The Malaysian coffee chain has teamed up with viral personality Ann Jaafar for a playful, culture-infused initiative that marks the debut project from its newly appointed creative agency, Chariot.
Known for her relatable doodles and mysterious persona — she appears in public wearing a paper bag over her head — Ann is more than just a social media phenomenon.
She’s a cultural mood board in motion, capturing everyday humour with a wink and a sketch.
From Online Wit to Offline Whimsy
The centrepiece of the campaign is a limited-edition cup cover styled after Ann’s signature paper bag — a simple but instantly recognisable element that quickly gained traction online.
In-store, Gigi Coffee baristas took the gag one step further, donning full-sized paper bag replicas to serve customers, turning an everyday coffee run into a shareable moment.
This wasn’t a case of parachuting a celebrity into a brand’s existing playbook. Instead, it was a co-creation that respected the artist’s voice.
“What Ann does aligns so naturally with who we are as a brand,” said Marcus Low, Group CEO at Gigi Coffee.
“We didn’t want to mould it to fit the brand. We wanted to have fun with it and give people something they’d actually want to share.”
That sense of alignment is exactly what gives the campaign its staying power. The humour lands because it feels organic, not orchestrated.
Chariot’s Philosophy: Earned Attention First
For Chariot, this debut outing wasn’t about making something just for the ‘gram — it was about creating an idea that could live both online and in the physical world, each feeding the other.
“Everything we make now needs to earn attention,” said Gillian Yap, General Manager at Chariot Agency.
“This idea worked because people saw it, got it, and made it theirs. That’s when you know the collab has done its job of inviting others into the co-creation process.”
The campaign’s built-in “shareability” wasn’t accidental.
From the quirky design of the cup sleeve to the theatrical presence of paper bag–masked baristas, every touchpoint was engineered to encourage customers to post, tag, and remix the experience on their own terms.
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Extending the Experience Beyond the First Sip
The buzz isn’t just confined to cafés and social feeds.
Gigi Coffee is keeping the momentum going with a fan meet-and-greet this weekend, where followers can meet Ann Jaafar in person — or as close as possible while preserving her trademark anonymity.
The activation is being supported by special promotions linked to the cup sleeve and a merchandise line that showcases Ann’s pun-heavy designs.
Launching this August across Instagram, TikTok, and Gigi Coffee outlets nationwide, the campaign has proven that offline activations can still spark significant online traction — if they’re rooted in genuine creative alignment.
Why It Works
In a market where attention is increasingly fleeting, this campaign proves that the blend of culture, humour, and offline surprise can still deliver a rich, full-bodied brand experience — much like a good cup of coffee.
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