It’s been a hectic week for ZUS Coffee. To recap, the local coffee chain has been under fire for a one-off collaboration with Adidas, a sports attire brand that’s listed in the BDS boycott list. After much backlash, the company released a statement regarding the incident but unfortunately, the damage control did more damage than actually controlling it.
Netizens have since bombarded their social media, calling them out for their cowardice and hypocrisy for remaining neutral on the ongoing genocide in Palestine despite being a Malaysian brand. ZUS Coffee’s PR team got straight to work and came up with a more concise statement.
Earlier today (Friday, 17th May), ZUS Coffee posted a follow-up statement on their socials to address everyone’s concerns about their political stance. The local company said, “We acknowledge that our previous statement was not sufficiently clear in addressing our stance against the act of genocide in Palestine. ZUS Coffee firmly stands in solidarity against genocide, advocating for a free Palestine”.
The brand ended their statement by assuring everyone that they would be more mindful of their decisions in the future and would always reflect on their values as a local brand. Shortly after posting the latest statement, influencer Ceddy Ang applauded the brand for being more straightforward with their stance and reminded them that as a Malaysian brand, they should not fear to openly support the liberation of Palestine.
While some netizens shared the same sentiment as the public figure, many suggested that ZUS Coffee should do more in their advocating for a free Palestine. Just like before, others weren’t as forgiving and said that the brand was only doing this after being threatened with a boycott.
Source: Instagram
