Café de Coral and JFFT cook up viral wordplay for baked rice series

Café de Coral and dentsu Hong Kong have launched “Go all in on freshness—It’s a must” (勁鮮一波要有), a new campaign that leverages viral internet culture and local netizens' shared online humour to put a fresh spin on the fast-food chain's iconic baked rice series.

The two-month campaign centres on a series of playful, social-native videos featuring popular local content collective JFFT, whose distinct humor and viral Cantonese catchphrases have heavily influenced Hong Kong’s youth culture. Featuring creators BedGor (床哥), Mic Fu (米爺), and HumGorGor (含爺), the content leans directly into the formats and signature behaviours that made them famous.

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson from Café de Coral said the brand wanted to create a relevant campaign that resonates with social-active users where JFFT is one of the most relevant channel creators in Hong Kong now.

Set within a livestream-style gaming environment, the trio is transformed into lobster-inspired gaming characters diving underwater to “catch” fresh seafood ingredients. Moving away from Café de Coral’s traditional commercial formats, the videos are styled to look highly interactive, mirroring how audiences engage with content across today’s social platforms.

Built around clever Cantonese wordplay, the campaign hinges on a phonetic twist where "lobster sauce" (龍蝦汁) sounds identical to "lobster picking" (龍蝦執). This playful local layer carries through to social spin-offs, where the trio recreates a famous viral city moment: the "HK$1 lobster grab" arcade challenge.

Delivering the internet-famous line "Your claw is broken" (你個嘢壞咗), the creators bypass the mechanical claw entirely to grab lobsters by hand in a chaotic, direct homage that brings the iconic local meme back to life.

Further to the brand's previous campaigns, all upcoming marketing activities will be consolidated under the brand’s platform, “Hong Kong flavour is a must (港味要有)”. The strategy spotlights the brand’s Hong Kong taste and Hong Kong-style authenticity. Hence, the messaging incorporated Cantonese wordplay and socially relevant themes to strengthen connection with the target audience.

The campaign is amplified via a mix of channels, including above-the-line (ATL) and below-the-line (BTL) tactics, TV, out-of-home placements, social media, digital campaigns, and online banner placements.

“We’re reimagining how our iconic baked series connects with today’s diners,” said Angel Tam, director of marketing, Café de Coral. “With our new Baked Seafood Rice with Lobster Sauce, we’re bringing a vibrant, social-led approach that refreshes the experience with a new tone of voice. By spotlighting the richness of our premium sauces and the abundance of seafood through playful, everydayinspired moments, we aim to make the offering feel both engaging and relevant— while reinforcing its strong value.”

“Culture today moves at the speed of social, shaped by creators and the communities around them. By collaborating with the internet sensation behind the trend and embracing the language they’ve helped popularise, Café de Coral is able to connect with audiences in a way that feels more immediate and relevant today,” said Diana Tam, managing partner and director of operations, dentsu Hong Kong.

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