Teh Pucuk Harum steps into the cinema experience with Link Group and XXI

Teh Pucuk Harum, Indonesia-based ready-to-drink tea brand, has launched a new activation with Cinema XXI, the country’s largest cinema chain, that moves beyond traditional on-screen advertising.

Rather than centring its presence solely around pre-film placements, the brand has embedded itself into the broader cinema ecosystem. Developed and led by the Link Group ecosystem, the collaboration introduces Pucuk Mango Bliss, a co-branded beverage available at XXI Café outlets nationwide. The activation also extends into Cinema XXI’s house rules, integrating Teh Pucuk Harum into the in-venue experience and reframing how brand participation can unfold inside a theatre.

The move comes at a time when cinema is being reassessed as more than a resilient medium. In Kantar’s Media Reactions 2025, cinema ranks as the most positively received advertising channel in Asia Pacific, with consumers reporting greater openness to brand presence compared to other formats. In an environment shaped by skipping and ad avoidance, the theatre remains one of the few spaces where attention is both focused and shared.

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Indonesia’s cinema sector is also expanding rapidly. According to PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook, consumer spending on non-digital entertainment – including cinema and live music – continues to lead growth. Indonesia’s cinema market is now among the fastest growing globally, recording a compound annual growth rate of 9.9%, more than double the global average of 4.7%.

This growth is also supported by the underlying structure of the cinema business. Based on public disclosures from Cinema XXI, food and beverage contributes around 34% of total revenue and carries comparatively higher margins, while advertising represents a smaller share of overall income. Even with moderate purchase penetration, F&B revenues have continued to increase through 2023 and 2024, suggesting that cinemas are deriving more value from the overall experience and retail components alongside traditional media offerings.

For brands, that distinction matters. Cinema becomes less about interruption and more about integration – participation before the film begins and presence that lingers beyond the credits, according to Link Group.

“Cinema is one of the places where attention is hyperfocused,” said Irsan Yapto, founder and CEO of Link Group. “The question is how brands can be part of that experience in a way that feels natural, not forced.”

In late 2025, Link Media – a subsidiary of Link Group – was appointed as the sole agency partner for Cinema XXI. The exclusive partnership allows brands to engage the cinema environment holistically, across media, retail and in-venue experience, rather than treating it as a single screen placement.

Founded in 2014 by Irsan Yapto and Nadya Yapto, Link Group has built its model around scaled brand integration across film, television and digital platforms. Today, the group operates seven specialised business units and commands the majority share of Indonesia’s free-to-air built-in advertising, while ranking among the top two players in national media spend.

Within this broader context, Teh Pucuk Harum’s latest move signals more than a seasonal collaboration. It reflects a wider recalibration of cinema as a brand platform – one where the opportunity lies not just in visibility, but in becoming part of the experience itself.

Teh Pucuk Harum is produced by Tirta Fresindo Jaya, a subsidiary of Mayora Indah. Its core slogan, “Rasa teh terbaik ada di pucuknya” (The best tea flavour is found at the tip), underscores the use of selected tea leaves from the top shoots – widely regarded as the most tender and flavourful part – to deliver a fresher, more refined taste.

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