Why ZUS Coffee is opening its universe to Butterbear, after a year of ZUS Buddy

ZUS Coffee is tapping into Southeast Asia's love of cute content IP (intellectual property) and buttery treats this Raya with a new collaboration that pairs its popular Buttercrème series with local character Butterbear.

The ZUS Coffee and Butterbear tie-up marks the first time the homegrown coffee chain is partnering an external content IP, after previously building its festive storytelling around its in-house ZUS Buddy mascots such as Blue Buddy. The campaign has been launched across Malaysia and Singapore.

Anchored in the Buttercrème series, which ZUS describes as a consistent hero product for the brand, the collaboration is designed to extend what customers feel in the cup into something more tactile and emotional.

“Buttercrème is a consistent hero product that our customers love and we wanted that emotional resonance to extend beyond the cup,” a ZUS Coffee spokesperson told A+M exclusively.

“Butterbear, as a character, amplifies that comfort factor by being approachable and playful, and by speaking to feel-good moments such as Malaysia’s festivities. This collaboration bridges product innovation and local context, which is core to how we build community around ZUS Coffee,” the spokesperson added.

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Raya as a content playground

For ZUS, Hari Raya is less a pure promotional window and more a cultural moment to plug into. By pairing Buttercrème with Butterbear during one of Malaysia’s most indulgent festive periods, the brand is betting that character-led storytelling can make its seasonal offer more memorable.

“As one of Malaysia’s most significant festive seasons, where indulgent, buttery treats like kuih (traditional Malay cakes) and desserts are central to the celebration, this campaign is about elevating and reinterpreting a familiar favourite for Raya, aligning it with the season’s love for comforting, buttery flavours,” they added.

The collaboration with Butterbear was described as “a natural extension” because the character is already associated with all things buttery. By pairing Butterbear with Blue Buddy from the ZUS Buddy line-up, the brand is trying to push Buttercrème beyond a drink series and into the realm of character-driven IP.

“Butterbear, together with Blue Buddy, brings Buttercrème further than what it is – just a drink series – with warm, joyful energy that is a natural fit for a season defined by sharing and celebration,” the spokesperson said.

IP as an entry point to the brand

The campaign follows ZUS’ earlier Chubbybara series, which was inspired by viral capybara content from Zoo Negara and global social media. While Chubbybara was designed in-house, the Butterbear collaboration signals a clear intent to play more actively in the IP and fandom space.

“While ZUS Buddy appears throughout our stores, ZUS App and campaigns, we think it’s equally exciting to collaborate with IPs that our community is talking about such as Butterbear,” explained the spokesperson.

“We believe there’s real value in creating different entry points for customers to connect with us, where collaborations like this can speak to different moments in their lives," they added.

The brand shared that it is also using the ZUS x Butterbear-themed outlets as a way to deepen that connection in-store, particularly during festive periods. “As our strategies are ever-changing, we will continue to explore activations that our community would find delight in,” the spokesperson said. This is the first time the brand has dressed its shops up with themed decorations using external IP.

A 'beyond the cup' touchpoint

The collaboration is supported by a line of ZUS x Butterbear merchandise, including a furry cup sleeve and hoodie blanket, designed to carry the brand relationship outside the store.

“It’s been rewarding to see that our community genuinely wants to engage with ZUS Coffee beyond just coffee when they’re leaning into the whole experience, the characters and the moments,” the spokesperson said.

“That’s exactly why we want to create immersive experiences like this and give our customers a reason to visit our stores, stay and connect with us. Our merchandise hopes to extend that emotional connection beyond the cup.”

According to ZUS, the merch ideation was driven primarily by listening to customer signals, with Butterbear providing support rather than strict IP guardrails.

“When customers wear a ZUS hoodie blanket or use our exclusive cup sleeve, it shows us that our ZUSsies community finds comfort in moments with ZUS Coffee, apart from just beverages. This alone drives us to further create moments that they can enjoy outside of our stores,” the spokesperson added.

Earlier this month for April Fool's, ZUS customers were thrown into confusion and chaos after receiving a “leaked” email from ZUS Coffee’s marketing team, titled “Marketing Calendar update”, directed to a person named Jason from the tech department.

The email contained a request for assistance with deploying a RM1 coffee promotion, alongside in-app promo assets that needed to go live by 5pm on 1 April. Right below it was a marketing calendar attached for Jason’s reference.

And of course, the brand had to address the “leak”. Here comes the next hook. A plain white post appeared with just the words: “Hi, it’s Jason.” The carousel continued with ZUS saying: “Some of you might know, our marketing calendar was leaked. In response, this is our statement.” But it all led to a big blue “We’re sorry (hehe)”, with the brand owning up to the calendar being fake.

Be part of #Content360 Malaysia, 13 May 2026, where creativity and community collide. Explore how AI-powered imagination, culturally resonant storytelling, and platform-savvy strategies are shaping the future of content. Gain practical insights, discover new tactics, and learn how the region’s top creators and brands are crafting campaigns that truly resonate.

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