The brand, born in Australia and made in NYC, is a reflection of the founder’s hustle to make great coffee available to ‘regular folk’. The brand’s identity concept encapsulates the spirit of living on your wits and doing whatever it takes to get ahead day by day. In this sense, the criminal lifestyle serves as a metaphor for the mentality required to make it in the competitive world of New York City.
An interesting twist to this brand’s narrative is the playful reference to its Australian founder’s determination, and the intensity of the New York scene. Most New York coffee aficionados are aware that some of the best coffee innovations, such as the flat white, were invented in Sydney Australia for a crowd of coffee drinkers with exacting standards.
The ‘B’ of the brand icon has been cleverly designed to read as a ‘13’ on closer inspection, inspired by the markings on bullet shell casings. Iconography referencing the concept of ‘luck’ are hidden throughout the branding system and illustration palette, a nod to the crime family’s superstitions around the life of crime.
The packaging designs cleverly play on the criminal inspiration in a multitude of ways. From a bag of coffee beans resembling a knuckle duster when clasped in the hand to boxes of baked goods sold in-store that resemble stacks of cash, the designs are brimming with creativity. The cold brew coffee cans feature secret messages to those ‘in the know’ which are revealed under UV light. The store’s loyalty card uses a fingerprint collection system to reward frequent visits.
The storytelling revealed through every detail of the branding system builds a unique and memorable identity, making Bruhn Coffee Co. a valuable conversation starter in a crowded New York coffee scene.
