Color, Foam, Moment: POP Matcha Through a Leica Lens

The campaign for the new Xiaomi 17T series, whose central message is The King of Details, features Ian Rožac, the creator of the POP Matcha brand. His world is vibrant, fresh, visual and full of small rituals that add a sense of balance to everyday life. It is a world of vibrant green, silky foam, slow preparation, good taste and moments that you don't just want to taste, but also capture in the frame.

POP Matcha is more than just a drink. It’s a story about quality, taste, community and lifestyle, highlighting small habits with big impact. It’s real Japanese matcha, without additives and without the bitter aftertaste that makes many people give up on matcha too quickly. Ian describes it as a matcha you’ll enjoy drinking every day — not just for the benefits, but above all for the taste.

"POP Matcha is finally matcha that's actually delicious, velvety, without that bitter, earthy aftertaste that makes many people give up on matcha," says Ian.

That's why his story naturally connects to the series. Xiaomi 17T Pro, created for moments where details make the difference. For matcha, that means the color, the texture of the foam, the layering of the drink, the movement of the milk, the light on the glass, and the feeling created by a good visual. For Xiaomi 17T Pro, that means a camera that can bring these details closer, preserve them, and turn them into a story.

Love at first sight — in vivid green

The POP Matcha story didn’t start overnight. Ian says it goes back almost a decade, to high school when he first tried matcha. Even then, he was drawn to the connection between matcha, better mood, beautiful skin, and a different, calmer energy throughout the day. Having never drunk coffee, matcha quickly became the perfect alternative for him.

But it wasn't the taste that attracted him at first. It was the color that attracted him.

"First of all, I was completely drawn to its color. Being a very visual person, it was truly love at first sight just because of the looks," says Ian. He was later impressed by the feeling of better concentration throughout the day and the fact that matcha is naturally very rich in antioxidants.

When it comes to matcha, color is much more than an aesthetic element. It is the first indicator of quality. A lighter, grayish or brownish matcha often tells you at first glance that the experience will not be the same. In contrast, a vibrant green color announces freshness, quality production and that feeling that makes matcha no longer just a drink, but a visual symbol of a certain lifestyle.

This is why POP Matcha is such a natural fit for social media content. Matcha is a drink you want to capture. Because of the color, the layers, the foam, the ice, the milk, the fruit, and the moment when it all comes together in a perfect glass.

A ritual that calms the day

For Ian, matcha isn't just a coffee substitute. It's part of a broader lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle has been important to him for a long time — from regular exercise and training to nutrition, friendships, and time for himself. Matcha fit naturally into this lifestyle and soon became more than just a beverage.

"Matcha quickly became fully integrated into this lifestyle and soon became much more than just a drink," says Ian.

In a world where the pace of everyday life is often fast and fragmented, small rituals have special value. Ian's day is full of projects, shoots, work commitments and entrepreneurial challenges. That's why rituals are important to him, because they create a sense of stability and something to look forward to every day.

A good ritual doesn't have to be big. It can be an extra ten minutes for skincare, a few pages of a book, or a slow preparation of matcha. What's important is that it has a positive effect and that you return to it every day.

"Small rituals are important to me because they give me a sense of stability and something to look forward to every day," says Ian.

And this is where POP Matcha differs from regular coffee. Ian describes it as a drink that gives a more calm and steady energy without the quick crash that many people experience after coffee. The natural combination of caffeine and L-theanine makes it more gentle, while also helping to feel focused and calm throughout the day.

Quality that starts at the source

POP Matcha is all about quality without compromise. Ian emphasizes that it is genuine Japanese matcha, of proven origin, without additives, hand-picked and ground on granite mills in Japan. These are details that the end user may not see immediately, but they feel with the first sip.

"With POP Matcha, I want to break the stereotypes about bitter and bad matcha that is difficult to drink, and set new standards for quality matcha in Slovenia," says Ian.

This is one of the key elements of its story. POP Matcha does not try to present matcha as something distant, complicated, or reserved only for connoisseurs. On the contrary — it wants to show that real matcha can be delicious, enjoyable, everyday, and easy to incorporate into your life.

The ideal moment for matcha, according to Ian, is very simple: when you would otherwise drink coffee. In the morning, at work, during a break, or when fatigue sets in in the afternoon. Matcha then becomes part of your daily rhythm, not a special event that you need the perfect moment for.

When preparation becomes a visual experience

At POP Matcha, color, texture, smell, taste, and atmosphere are all extremely important. Ian emphasizes that the true matcha experience comes with some practice and exploration. Everyone eventually finds their own way of preparing it — the ratio of matcha to milk, the combination of flavors, textures, ice, fruit, or other toppings.

But one of the most beautiful moments always remains the same: the moment when a thick, bright green foam begins to form while stirring.

"The best moment for me when preparing matcha is when a thick, bright green foam starts to form while stirring. This is always a sign of quality matcha and one of those details that makes the preparation so special," says Ian.

This detail is small, but very powerful. Foam is not just a pretty visual. It is a sign that the matcha is high-quality, properly prepared and alive. It is a moment that you want to show because it carries a feeling of freshness, energy and satisfaction.

That’s why matcha is so strongly associated with photography and video these days. Ian says that matcha probably wouldn’t be as recognizable and viral without visual content, as it looks incredibly appealing in lattes. The moment of mixing matcha with milk, ice or fruit, when beautiful layers are formed, is especially interesting. It’s a drink you just want to capture and share.

The king of details in the world of POP Matcha

The slogan King of Details is a natural fit in the world of POP Matcha. Ian says that the brand is approaching its first anniversary and that they have taken everything very seriously from day one. They have thought about every detail — from the taste, visual identity and packaging to the experience they want to create on social media and in person.

"That's exactly why the slogan King of Details is so close to my heart, because I believe that it's the small details that ultimately make the biggest difference," says Ian.

When it comes to matcha, details are important. The temperature of the water, the ratio of powder to liquid, the method of mixing, the quality of the milk, the ice, the glass, the lighting, and the moment of serving can all make a difference to the experience. Ian highlights that one of the most important details is to never use boiling water when preparing it, as too high a temperature can destroy many of the taste and beneficial properties of matcha.

This is a detail that a beginner might not know, but it makes a big difference. And it's details like these that separate an average experience from one that keeps you coming back for more every day.

A camera that can capture color, foam and atmosphere

For Ian, photography is one of the most important parts of building a brand. We are visual creatures, he says, and photography is often the first contact with a customer. A good photo can generate interest before someone even reads the product description or takes their first sip. That’s why vibrant shots, positive energy, colors, and the feeling that the visual creates are important for POP Matcha.

"Photography is often our first contact with a customer. Our vibrant photos, which give off a positive vibe, really quickly create interest and attract attention," says Ian.

As a content creator, he documents a large part of his life and entrepreneurial journey. Lately, he has been increasingly showing the behind-the-scenes of entrepreneurship, so very little remains undocumented or hidden. This means that the camera is not just a tool for promoting a product, but also a way to bring people closer to the process, everyday life, and energy of a brand.

In his opinion, light is the most important thing for a well-captured moment. As a perfectionist in content, he always looks for the right shot, the right atmosphere, and the feeling that best conveys reality to the screen.

"When I'm chasing the right moment, I always look for good light first, because that makes the biggest difference. But when you add a good camera, you can bring everything from reality to the screen just as you experienced it in person," says Ian.

Xiaomi 17T Pro as a creative tool

In a world where content is created quickly, spontaneously and often at home, it's important to have a phone that can deliver high quality without the need for additional equipment. Ian says he finds it remarkable that you can now create content at home that looks almost like a professional production.

Xiaomi 17T Pro with Leica camera It therefore fits into his story as a creative tool that helps quickly capture good shots, colors, and atmosphere, while still making it all look premium and sophisticated.

This is especially important for POP Matcha, as the experience is so visual. The camera needs to capture the vibrant green color of the matcha, the silky texture of the foam, the movement of the milk, the layering of the drink, the atmosphere of the space, and the reactions of the people. If the camera doesn’t capture the color correctly, a big part of the identity is lost. If it doesn’t capture the texture, the drink doesn’t feel as enticing. If it doesn’t capture the atmosphere, the story loses its feel.

Ian emphasizes that camera quality is key when creating content, and today he finds it remarkable that phones already enable such quality.

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5x optical zoom: premium feel in detail

At POP Matcha, the most beautiful shots often happen in the details. A glass in which milk and matcha are layered. The foam on top of the drink. The ice that moves when the liquids meet. The packaging on the table. Friends laughing over matcha. A behind-the-scenes moment that happens unexpectedly.

5x optical zoom Ian would use it primarily for creating more cinematic shots of spaces and products. It allows you to capture details in a more natural way and gives a premium feel to the video that is otherwise difficult to create with just a phone.

This is important because 5x optical zoom doesn't just mean getting closer. It means a different perspective. A more intimate shot. A more cinematic composition. More of a sense that the viewer is not just an observer, but part of the moment.

With matcha, this can be shown in a close-up of the foam, the pouring of milk, the hand holding the glass, or the packaging placed in the soft morning light. Such shots create a sense of quality and complement the brand story.

Leica Live Moment: when the best moments happen spontaneously

The best content is often not fully planned. It’s created incidentally, during preparation, conversation, laughter, testing new flavors, or behind the scenes of a business day. That’s why Ian sees the greatest value of Leica Live Moment in those behind-the-scenes moments.

"A lot of the best content is created spontaneously, and that's when it's important to be able to quickly capture the moment before it's gone," says Ian.

With POP Matcha, these moments can be very different: stirring the first matcha of the morning, friends toasting with glasses, the first reaction of someone trying matcha, layering a drink, creating a new recipe or behind the scenes of a shoot. Leica Live Moment can preserve some of the movement, energy and authenticity that might be lost in classic photography.

This is especially important for a brand that doesn’t want to come across as artificial or overly salesy. Ian says POP Matcha lets the product speak for itself. They don’t need aggressive slogans or sales pitches because the matcha itself is enough. They value the community, the aesthetics, the colors, and the feeling that a photo or video creates.

One photo for the POP Matcha world

If I had to portray POP Matcha through one photo, Ian wouldn't just choose the product. He would choose happiness.

The photo would be of a group of friends enjoying each other's company over a well-brewed cup of POP Matcha. This is, for him, the best representation of the feeling he wants to create as a brand.

This answer says a lot. POP Matcha is not just a drink you drink alone while working. It can also be a moment of connection. Part of a morning with a friend. A post-workout drink. A leisurely afternoon. A social ritual. A movement, as Ian says, a community of like-minded people.

"I want people to feel that POP Matcha is not just a drink, but a way of life. That the content makes them feel like they want to be part of this movement and the community we are building," says Ian.

The king of details in the world of color, taste and community

Link between POP Matcha and Xiaomi 17T Pro is therefore very natural. Both worlds are based on details. One through taste, color, texture and ritual. The other through the camera, light, zoom and the ability to make a moment a story.

In the world of POP Matcha, detail is not an accessory. It's the right water temperature. It's the thick green foam. It's the vibrant color. It's the layering of the drink. It's the packaging. It's the moment when someone tastes real matcha for the first time and understands the difference.

In the world of Xiaomi 17T Pro, detail becomes visible. The Leica camera captures color, the 5x optical zoom brings texture closer, Leica Live Moment preserves motion, and the phone allows creators to create content quickly, spontaneously, and with high quality.

This campaign is therefore not just a story about a phone. It is a story about how technology can capture the taste, atmosphere and energy of a brand. How it can bring a ritual closer. How a single glass of matcha can become eye-catching content. And how a small moment — foam, light, a smile, the color green — can become part of a larger story.