The widely favoured coffee brand ZUS Coffee has partnered with Advertising Agency Fishermen Integrated to finally put to rest the heated argument about their origins. ZUS Coffee settles the dispute in a never done before short film featuring comedian Kavin Jay and content creators Arieff Yong and Ryan Howlet in court, with ZUS Coffee on trial to determine if the delightful brew is truly Malaysian.
Arieff Yong takes on the role of the court judge “Yang Arrief” which translates to “Your Honour”, a witty double entendre to his name. Ryan Howlet plays the composed “MAT SALLEH” prosecutor who is hell bent on proving that the defendant is actually an international brand based on its name, character, outstanding quality and demand in Malaysia, which subsequently leads him to instigate that if ZUS Coffee was in fact local, then its coffee would be inferiorly “local quality”.
Alluding to several reasons why a name is merely a name and does not justify the origination of the product or its quality, Kavin Jay, who plays the defence lawyer for his client ZUS Coffee, goes on to unequivocally proof that in Malaysia, it is common to have glamorous sounding names that is not to be taken seriously.
For if it did, then exotic destinations such as Gunung Besar Hantu, the highest peak in Negeri Sembilan or Pulau Kentut, the scenic islands in Kedah should be avoided due to the negative connotation behind their names.
Kavin also fervently rebukes the notion that local quality DOES NOT mean low quality, but instead one that caters to the unique taste of the Malaysian palate, driven by the Malaysian pride and proud to proclaim our local identity to the world.
At a time where coffee aficionados prefer top-tier international coffee, local brews have been at the receiving end of unenthusiastic perception.
However, in this short and sweet production, ZUS Coffee, Fishermen Integrated and their partners Imagineers Film successfully captured the Malaysian pride and proved that ZUS Coffee’s Malaysian made blend is on par and equally as delectable if not greater than their international counterparts.
The campaign, delightfully Malaysian, also included a cute cameo of some of their Malaysian counterparts like Julie’s, Farm Fresh, Inside Scoop and Boh. While several other Malaysian brands such as The Chicken Rice Shop also cheered them on from the sidelines.
“As a buatan Malaysia company ourselves, we’re honoured to have worked with ZUS Coffee on this campaign. The campaign which showcases the Malaysian spirit hopes to spread the message that local quality IS NOT low quality.
As Malaysians, we are more than capable to produce products and deliver services that are of world class standards, as evidently so.” said Mark Darren Lee, the Managing Director of Fishermen Integrated.
“ZUS Coffee set out on a humble beginning in a basement at Lorong Binjai in KL. In the 3 and a half years since our inception, ZUS Coffee has always taken pride in being a Malaysian brand first! From employing 100% local crew to ensuring that our products suit the local Malaysian taste, ZUS Coffee boasts the Malaysian name proudly through our products in our 270 stores nationwide.
In the same way, our collaboration with Fishermen Integrated exceeds the usual client-agency relationship because it embodies the essence of “buatan Malaysia”.
Our partnership proves that Malaysian brands are capable of delivering top-notch products and services and in the case of this collaboration, we’re proud to have produced such a heart warming piece that has resonated with our fellow Malaysians and our “buatan Malaysia” champions!” said Stephy Foong, VP of Growth & Marketing of ZUS Coffee
Successfully tickling the emotions of its viewers, the video has garnered over 4 million views across all social media platforms in just 7 days, becoming the talk of the town and has been touted as a “perfectly timed” campaign that ignites the Malaysian spirit, in conjunction with the National Day celebrations at the end of the month.
Gaining attention from Malaysians from all walks of life, it is now evident that regardless of how “international-sounding” its name may be, ZUS Coffee is etched in the hearts, minds and taste buds of Malaysians everywhere.
One can say that Shakespeare said it best when he said “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” And we’re proud to call ZUS Coffee Truly Malaysian!
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