Challenge & Context:

Death Wish Coffee Co. is seeking to expand its market outside its small cult following. The Death Wish Coffee culture is bold, daring, and as strong as the coffee, which is something the brand can bond over with its target audience– experience junkies. Death Wish is pursuing individuals who start each day with a fresh cup of coffee and don’t rest until they’ve conquered it. However, these consumers are very loyal to their brands, so Death Wish must give them a compelling reason to leave their precious beans behind and add Death Wish Coffee to their shopping cart. In order to do this on a tight budget, Death Wish must connect with its target audience in bold, intimate ways. This challenge also provides an opportunity for Death Wish to form emotional bonds with consumers to keep them coming back. Death Wish isn’t for “the guy next door” and neither is our campaign.

Who Are We Talking To?

Death Wish Coffee is targeting millennials (ages 20-35, living in urban areas) who drink coffee daily. Real coffee drinkers, not Instagram bloggers who order foo-foo drinks. These people are “experience junkies” who want to get the most out of each day. This consumer is one who gets down to business, with no room for crap or cream. Death Wish Coffee is for people who explore– whether that means exploring themselves, the outdoors, big cities or new music, they are going full-throttle all the time. They make the most of their time and know how to appreciate the good things in life. And for them, coffee isn’t a part of life, but a way of life. It’s the fuel that courses through their veins; the moment that is a slave to their satisfaction.​ They can often be found at the newest places around town, day dreaming about being their own boss, and engaging with podcasts to satisfy their constant curiosity.

What is the key insight that shows this brand can be meaningful in consumers’ lives?

With coffee connoisseurs rising within the millennial generation, Death Wish Coffee Co. is able to tap into this shift in the market and take the coffee industry by storm. Through personal interviews, we found that regular coffee drinkers value the convenience of making coffee at home, while ordering more intricate drinks at cafes is considered a treat.  With home brewing typically being seen as a daily and mundane act necessary to get a caffeine fix, we decided that with Death Wish, brewing and drinking our coffee is an experience all in itself. This insight is a perfect way to resonate with the “experience junkie” and their bold lifestyle. This target market values quality, authenticity, and is uncensored– much like the Death Wish Coffee brand. Their daily routine leaves no room for crap, or cream, and this is something Death Wish can stand behind. By leveraging the insight of valuing a cup of coffee as an experience, our target will realize they are of the same breed as Death Wish.