Coffee branding is getting too hardcore. I get it it’s strong.

Writer, podcaster, and commentator on foreign affairs and politics. Runs /dropglobalnews

I once got pulled onto a consulting project by a coffee brand like this. They gave me feedback on a deck that it needed a lot more photos of AK-47s. I thought they were joking but everyone was so serious.

Eventually a photo of Kyle Rittenhouse wearing their shirt went viral saying it’s his favorite coffee, and people wore their logo on Jan 6 at the capitol. The company tried to distance itself by explaining they just like guns and coffee, but don’t condone violence. A lot of their subscribers churned in response.

It’s so interesting to me all the brand niches within the coffee category now. Usually has nothing to do with bean quality. People are just paying for the packaging and marketing.

Building a little space at /thenextwave and watching everything on /videolab.

Also, today being Memorial Day, I want to also mention I really appreciated the brand’s emphasis on employing and supporting veterans. Their founder’s a veteran too.

My experience working with U.S. veterans (frequent, due to my industry) is that they’re often a cut above the rest in being super courteous, highly disciplined, and having a great sense of humor. This made it even stranger watching their supporters turn on them.