Gigi Coffee bags local artist Ann Jaafar in brew-tifully playful collab

Gigi Coffee has partnered with viral Malaysian personality Ann Jaafar for a quirky campaign that blends internet culture with real-world activation, without following the usual influencer playbook.

Known for her relatable doodles and public appearances in a paper bag to protect her identity, Ann’s low-key mystique made her an unexpected yet fitting match for Gigi Coffee, a brand built on playful irreverence and sharp cultural instincts.

At the heart of the campaign is a limited-edition Ann Jaafar cup cover, styled after her signature paper bag. The simple, tactile design quickly caught attention online. Meanwhile, in stores, Gigi baristas donned full-sized bag replicas to turn the internet gag into an in-person spectacle, one drink order at a time.

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To further engage fans, a meet-and-greet was held over the weekend, giving the community a rare chance to interact with Ann in person, albeit without revealing her face. The collaboration also features promotions tied to the Ann Jaafar cup sleeve, alongside a merchandise line showcasing her signature pun-heavy designs. The merchandise line includes an acrylic stand figure, sticker sets of unreleased characters, keychains, t-shirts, tumblers, socks and tote bags. 

Moreover, fans can stand a chance to redeem get one free coffee if they purchase a drink, decorate the cup cover and post it on Instagram tagging the brand and the artist. 

The campaign rolled out in August across Instagram, TikTok, and all Gigi Coffee outlets nationwide.

“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," Low added. 

For Chariot, the campaign was also a statement on cultural fluency, steering away from trend-chasing and templated formats.“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," Yap added.

The campaign marks Chariot’s first work for Gigi Coffee since being appointed as its creative agency.

The partnership with Chariot spans a wide creative scope from seasonal drink campaigns and product launches to social-first content and purpose-led initiatives.

The agency's role will also include creative ideation, brand communications, campaign development, and social storytelling, with both teams working closely to bring ideas from concept to cup.

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