Why does a hand drip coffee dripper get a Pepe the Frog crossover?
Hario has released a camping-themed collaboration with the cartoon character Pepe the Frog, covering two sets. The outdoor set includes a limited-edition green No. 01 resin dripper and a matching outdoor filter paper pack. The presale slogan is Filtering Out Sadness, and the packaging is presented in comic form.
The dripper is Hario's standard No. 01 transparent resin model with green elements added; the material and function are unchanged, and the original pulp filter paper differs only in its outer box. Reaction among hand brew coffee drinkers is mixed, with some drawn to the look and others questioning the practicality of the design.
Hario has departed from its minimalist Japanese style and teamed up with the cartoon IP Pepe the Frog to launch a camping-themed product series. The collaboration includes two sets, among which the Outdoor Enjoyment Set features a Pepe limited-edition color No. 01 resin dripper and a limited-edition outdoor filter paper pack. The dripper incorporates green elements into a transparent resin base, standing out strikingly under light and drawing attention from pour-over coffee enthusiasts. The official presale campaign uses "Filtering Out Sadness" as its topic, with packaging presented in comic form. Users have already posted their purchases, with mixed reviews—some find it visually appealing, while others question its practicality. This collaboration once again confirms that the coffee sector is becoming a popular choice for brand crossovers.
It is reported that this collaboration's packaging takes a comic route, with camping as the core theme. Hario's coffee equipment—including the server, dripper, and filter paper—is portrayed as camping gear appearing in comic scenes alongside Pepe the Frog, jointly conveying the concept of "Filter out sadness, reject EMO."
The collaboration series launches two sets: the Filter Sadness Filter Paper Sharing Set and the Reject EMO Outdoor Enjoyment Set. The latter, in addition to filter paper, also includes a Pepe limited-edition color No. 01 resin dripper and a Pepe limited-edition outdoor filter paper pack. Hario has always presented a minimalist and understated Japanese aesthetic, yet this time it unexpectedly joined hands with the cartoon character Pepe the Frog, turning the dripper into a "green cup" that shines even brighter green under lighting.
From the official promotional images, the collaboration dripper is merely the No. 01 transparent resin model with green elements added; the material and function of the cup body remain unchanged. The original pulp filter paper has no changes other than the outer packaging box. However, with such eye-catching green and the Pepe the Frog cartoon design, many pour-over enthusiasts couldn't resist and rushed to add it to their carts. Before the official launch, Hario's official account initiated a presale campaign on Xiaohongshu with the slogan: "Filter paper filters coffee, and also filters sadness. Tell us your saddest story, and we'll filter it out." The packaging features a cartoon image of Pepe the Frog holding filter paper with two streams of tears flowing into it, prompting many netizens to exclaim, "Too cute, I want it."
Currently on Xiaohongshu, many people have posted photos of the "green cup" and other collaboration products they received, playing with puns like "Brew away the cup's sorrow, filter out green worries." Regarding this "eye-protecting" green, some find it very green and love it, while others complain it's "so ugly it turns you into Pepe the Frog." On practicality, some netizens feel the collaboration set isn't worth the price: "The dripper's texture is too poor; only the packaging box is a collaboration—just an ordinary filter paper plus an ordinary dripper." Moreover, "once you throw away the box, who knows it's Pepe the Frog?"
In recent years, the coffee market has continued to heat up, driving the emergence of a large number of derivative products and crossover marketing. It's not hard to see that coffee beverages have become a particularly favored sector for brand crossover collaborations. If a brand can find a popular IP with a similar customer base and compatible momentum, it can be called a strong alliance. So, how exactly should one choose an IP to achieve a strong alliance? This precisely tests the level of dedication of each brand.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
