Waking Up a Legacy Brand

Challenge

Helping a heritage coffee brand reimagine its identity by pressure-testing bold creative work against a deeply human strategy.

Our client had a new brand strategy and a powerful set of creative territories to match. They came to us with three territories meant to bring that strategy to life in fresh, culturally resonant ways. But with high-stakes work on the table, they needed to know: does it land? Does it stretch the brand in the right direction? And most importantly, does it feel true?

Approach

We ran eight immersive online focus groups with coffee drinkers across formats, mindsets, and routines. Using creative stimuli that blended imagery, music, and voiceover, we explored how each concept landed – unpacking its salience, relevance, and emotional impact.

From there, we went deep – unpacking what people felt, what they remembered, and what they actually believed. We listened for what people remembered, what stood out, and what felt like a meaningful leap forward. Instead of picking a winner, we helped the team understand where each idea sparked connection and where there was room to optimize further.

Impact

The result? Creative clarity. We helped the team see which ideas had the power to modernize the brand and which needed a tighter link between message and meaning. Most importantly, we helped bridge the gap between bold creative ambition and the grounded human truth at the heart of the brand.