Gong Cha brews up AI world to unveil mini pearls

Bubble tea brand Gong Cha has launched a new GenAI-powered campaign, "Mini pearl adventures", to introduce its latest innovation, 'Mini pearls'.

Created by VCCP’s AI agency faith and digital experience studio Bernadette, the campaign draws inspiration from the global fascination with miniature food and Asian dessert aesthetics.

The social-first campaign features an immersive "mini world" crafted entirely using generative AI. Designed for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, the content invites viewers inside the 'mini pearls' themselves, revealing whimsical landscapes with pearl-shaped clouds, mango milk rivers, and strawberry waterfalls.

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According to the agency, the idea was developed by VCCP’s social team, with faith leading strategy and Bernadette bringing the visuals to life. A prompt engineer worked alongside a motion designer to refine the final output.

Timed with cultural touchpoints such as National Bubble Tea Day, International Children’s Day, and Mother’s Day, the campaign will roll out across over 20 global markets including Japan, the US, Mexico, Taiwan, and Malaysia.

“At Gong Cha, we believe every tea experience should be tasty, fun, and full of surprises, and that’s exactly what we brewed up with our brand-new, social-first campaign ‘Mini pearl adventures’. The campaign brings to life our mini pearl product through the world of GenAI by faith, complementing our unique mini pearl with mighty flavours. Together, we built a bold, scalable campaign that’s as fun as it is unforgettable," said Ana Guemes, global senior marketing director at Gong Cha. 

In tandem, Kerry Howell, managing partner at faith & Bernadette from VCCP said, "The campaign is a testament to the emerging power of GenAI as a tool for creativity. While crafting an entirely AI-generated Mini World posed unique challenges, with unpredictable outputs and intricate refinement stages, VCCP, faith and Bernadette’s integrated team of planners, creatives, motion designers, and prompt engineers combined human ingenuity with AI speed to deliver a high-quality campaign in a fraction of the usual production time and budget.”

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information.

The use of AI in F&B marketing has become more than just a gimmick, it’s fast becoming a creative staple. Earlier this year, Hershey’s SEA rolled out its "She inspires" campaign, celebrating women in everyday life. Each limited-edition bar featured a QR code that led to an interactive platform where users could nominate their personal 'sheroes'. With the help of an AI-powered tool, consumers generated personalised appreciation cards by uploading a photo and selecting personality traits, which were then used to craft a custom design and poem.

Meanwhile, KFC Singapore took a more tongue-in-cheek route, launching a campaign that turned AI’s infamous finger-rendering glitch into a playful brand moment. Timed just before April Fool’s Day, the ads featured diners enjoying KFC, with the not-so-subtle twist of having way too many fingers.

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