Say “Ko-and-thol.” Now say it fast. Congratulations, you just said penis in Indonesian.
That is probably the whole idea behind the genius yet juvenile marketing of Ko&Thol, a new coffee franchise by dangdut singer Lucinta Luna.
Well, it’s working. Ko&Thol has grabbed the nation’s attention (not by the balls — what are you, eight?).
In a viral video uploaded over the weekend, the 30-year-old Lucinta promoted the brand during a franchise exhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC).
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ZSNhWDPWV/
“Okay guys, I’m currently at JCC, this is my first exhibition with my business, Kopi Ko-and-Thol. Menthol-flavored coffee. You guys must be curious, it’s so tasty, this is Lucinta Luna’s own recipe,” Lucinta said in the video.
There’s also a viral video that shows Lucinta giving a tutorial on how to say Ko&Thol and inviting potential partners to buy the franchise. Standing next to her is a banner that translates to, “Try my Kopi Ko&Thol!”
https://twitter.com/Fthh_niif14/status/1173167972510130176
Now, if you’re not well-versed in Indonesian slang, let us explain the significance of this to you. Ko&Thol sounds almost exactly the same as kontol, which is a vulgar term that literally translates to penis in Indonesian.
In addition, controversy surrounding Lucinta’s gender identity is what arguably propelled her to fame in the first place. Over the last couple of years, the Indonesian mass media and netizens have shown an unhealthy obsession with Lucinta over her unwillingness to admit to the rumors that she had a sex change operation, constantly seeking and publishing proof backing up their claim, even as she has repeatedly said she was born female.
While a mixture of coffee and menthol is undoubtedly hard to swallow for some, the fact that the franchise’s name is a play on the word penis is gloriously meta, and it has won Lucinta praise among her supporters.
Lucinta Luna making Ko&thol coffee is like Taylor Swift performing Look What You Made Me Do with a giant snake prop on tour.
Both powerful ladies rejecting how the world tries to ridicule theM
FIGHT ME
— ⚰️ (@tommydatomtom) September 15, 2019
In a media interview, Lucinta said her coffee is the first of its kind to contain collagen, a protein that’s believed to promote skin elasticity, in the country.
“[The name] came from me. It’s different to others. The preparation [for the brand] started since one year ago. It can be a play on word, like, ‘do you want to try Luna’s Ko&Thol coffee?’ That’s funny,” Lucinta told reporters yesterday, as quoted by Suara.
Ko&Thol’s menu doesn’t stray away from penis connotations, either. For example, one drink is called “Mokondo,” which is undoubtedly inspired by a common vulgar slang portmanteau made up of the words “modal kontol doang,” meaning a man who has nothing to offer in a relationship other than his member.
“We also have Mokondo, you guys know what Mokondo is right? Don’t be negative, [it stands for] modal kopi doang (someone who can only offer coffee),” Lucinta joked.
Well, it looks like relying on dick jokes for success may be an inspired marketing strategy by Lucinta, even if she has been playfully trying to convey an image of innocent ignorance on her part. After all, as we saw recently, one startup all the way from Germany gained viral popularity in Indonesia thanks to their name, which they did not know meant penis as well.
Also read: Dangdut singer Lucinta Luna’s gender identity is no one’s business but hers (Opinion)
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