What makes coffee so Instagrammable?

Having spent the last three years frequenting my local Exmouth Market and immersing myself like a curious hyena in central London’s overwhelming food scene (admittedly, pubs included), I decided last weekend to explore my new neighborhood. I set off, Google Maps in hand, and strolled through Battersea Park, across Prince Albert Bridge, and into the heart of Chelsea. An area I often associated with smart cars, influencers, bougie retailers, £20 gin & tonics, and dusty old mansions, I realized that my judgment may have been a little unjust. So, while the sun was shining, I enjoyed a delightful coffee outside at Amar Cafe on Chelsea Common and watched the world go by, sipping my flat white and petting all the dogs that trotted past my table.

However, I looked across and saw someone taking a picture of their coffee cup (is this an ick?), with a lovely backdrop of the flower shop across the way. Curiously, I looked down at my own cup and noticed a beautifully designed red telephone box etched on the side. See below:

As I thought about it for a moment, I realized how important branding in coffee truly is, and the subtle art of virality within the industry. There’s no doubt there’s probably only a small correlation between the roasting skills of a barista and the branding of their coffee cup. But what’s more powerful for the brand? As I ventured down this rabbit hole, I also realized that coffee roasters in London had a strong correlation between their branding and their target demographic. Here’s a good example:

The “I work in law, finance or real estate” coffee brands

Is it just me, or does it feel like we’re waiting for a merger between baristas to form: Monmouth Rosslyn WatchHouse & Partners LLP.

Nonetheless, the power of branding in coffee is very prominent (Starbucks being a pioneer), and this highlights how important brand equity is for a business. Just as people spread the word like wildfire when they have a great experience with a product, coffee and food are prime examples. The concept of “hype” places (which I always seem to be a year late to) is becoming a more important factor in today’s restaurant and cafe scene, especially in today’s “TikTok culture” with influencers being paid to stuff their face on camera. Here’s a question for all the founders out there:

Are you building a cult?

Will’s an inspiring voice in the CPG space, and I must admit his insights here are 100% correct. The most innovative and disruptive brands in the world have created a stereotype around their brand. I talked about this recently in a prior post (Stereotyping in E-Commerce), I think in today’s e-commerce ecosystem, future founders and even investors often think of providing new solutions, or new inventions. Much like writer’s block, coming up with a completely new product can be incredibly challenging and exhausting. But pioneers rarely reinvent the product itself - they reinvent the experience. Whether it’s a small step towards growth, like users sharing it on social media, or a large-scale campaign like Nike’s iconic “Just Do It,” finding ways for your brand’s experience to resonate with consumers is paramount.

Is your brand Instagrammable?

Granted it’s not an easy task, and oftentimes it’s hard thinking of stereotypes that your product could carry when bringing communities together. One of my favorite methods is building a challenge around your product. The best example is Guinness’s “Split the G” where Guinness drinkers from all over the World have to try and split the G on the Guinness glass off their first sip (approx. 3.5 sips for me). But it’s what’s next that carries value. Friends will laugh about it between them, argue over whether or not it’s an eligible split and even share it across their social media to show to the world how alpha they are for successfully downing a third of a pint to the perfect millimetre.

On my watchlist: Hulken

I’ve had the unique pleasure of meeting Alex Schinasi, co-founder of Hulken, on numerous occasions. So what is Hulken doing that I love?

Hulken, through its design, has decided to reinvent “schlepping” - which simply means moving something around. Not only does Hulken target the bougie, fashionable millennial who strolls through the Upper West Side, past Mayfair’s bakeries, or along the canals of Amsterdam, but Hulken’s colors (even though they only have one SKU) make it an incredibly Instagrammable product. To my delight, when I was in New York a few weeks ago, I saw people schlepping their Hulkens around the streets! I immediately texted Alex, who matched my excitement as we chatted about the plans the brand had for the future.

If I built a D2C brand tomorrow, I’d be asking myself the following questions:

1. Hold do I build a product people would organically share to minimize my need to acquire users through advertising?
2. How do I build a challenge that could go viral?
3. How do I prioritize customer experience before all else?