7CAFÉ taps Tyson Yoshi to challenge the HK$17 coffee stereotype

7-Eleven's in-house brand 7CAFÉ has tapped Hong Kong singer-songwriter Tyson Yoshi to challenge the HK$17 coffee stereotype after receiving official "Specialty Grade" certification by international standards for its exclusive blended coffee beans, validating the premium quality of its affordably-priced offering.

The campaign celebrates 7CAFÉ's exclusive blend achieving "Specialty Grade" certification from both the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)—a prestigious recognition of its excellence in aroma, flavour, finish, acidity, and balance.

With this certified mark of excellence, 7CAFÉ has launched an exclusive marketing initiative by inviting thousands to participate in blind tastings of its premium coffee, directly challenging the perception that price determines quality.

The innovative campaign kicked off when Hong Kong singer-songwriter Tyson Yoshi offered free tastings of 7CAFÉ's freshly ground coffee at "BE FAIR CAFÉ" in Harbour City's Gateway Atrium from 13 April to 15 April, with the brand identity concealed.

During the tasting event, participants posted their coffee reviews directly onto Tyson Yoshi's car, which he had made available for this purpose. After collecting over 3,000 genuine responses, the big reveal came: the coffee was actually 7CAFÉ. This moment shattered expectations and challenged public perceptions of the brand. Building on the buzz, a full campaign followed—including a brand video, POSM, and other promotional materials—amplifying the impact of the blind test.

Tyson Yoshi built anticipation through a teaser video on his social media channels, encouraging the public to judge the coffee purely on its merits—experiencing each richly aromatic sip without preconception.

The brand chose to partner with Tyson Yoshi as both the singer and 7CAFÉ have been unfairly typecast, according to 7CAFÉ's spokesperson in a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. "Tyson Yoshi's been boxed in as the 'bad boy', while 7CAFÉ—priced at just HK$17—is often dismissed as ordinary. That’s exactly why we invited him to be the face of this campaign: a joint statement challenging stereotypes and asking people to look beyond the surface."

The six-week campaign is done in partnership with creative agency Noah Workshop, event production agency Button Creation, PR agency StartPR and media agency PHD Hong Kong.

"Our campaign message is beautifully simple: 'Be fair,'" said Gloria Shiu, marketing director for 7-Eleven Hong Kong and Macau. "We took this bold approach because we truly believe the quality of 7CAFÉ coffee beans should not be judged by packaging or pricing."

Rachel Wong, founder of Noah Workshop, added, "The partnership between 7CAFÉ and Tyson Yoshi creates perfect synergy. Both share a commitment to defying external labels and expectations. We're thrilled with this collaboration and the enthusiastic response it has generated." 

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