What do you think of when you are drinking a cup of coffee? Let me guess. Chances are you are just thinking of waking up.
All right; maybe you’re thinking about how hot the beverage is, like the woman who famously sued McDonald’s in the 1990s. Or possibly you spare a thought for its strength, aroma and flavor. But more than that? Really?
This sort of thing presents a challenge to any marketing department. How do you sell people on something that is already part of their everyday lives? This is where creative writing can make a difference.
This description from a package of Starbucks coffee is a real gem:
Like the tiger indigenous to Sumatra, this coffee is big, bold and captivating. No other coffee has its distinctive earthy aroma and lingering low notes. The heavy, full body and concentrated herbal spice flavors are the hallmarks of a great Sumatran coffee and a favorite of our most seasoned roasters.
If you’re not wrestling a tiger at breakfast, you’re missing out! Or are you? Starbucks’ competitor, Tully’s, argues the opposite.
Some professionals need to approach their jobs slowly and with a great deal of care — like tightrope walkers, or brain surgeons, or tattoo artists.
The same holds true for creating great coffee. It takes a lot of patience, which is why we roast our coffee beans to gently coax out the complex flavors and aromas. We take our time in roasting and in training each master roaster in our artisanal approach.
At least four different companies, I’ve learned, are not only in a price war with each other, but in a war for the very soul of the American coffee drinker. They promise to take him or her on a journey and offer a new perspective.
Gevalia writes…
In 1853, an incredible journey started in the small port town of Gaevle, Sweden. That’s when our founder, a true coffee-lover, began an unwavering pursuit of coffee perfection. For over 150 years, [we have] built on that passion. … A coffee that tastes so good, it is served at the royal court of Sweden.
…while Green Mountain Coffee suggests:
A great tasting cup of coffee can give you a whole new perspective. It’s a moment to pause, reflect, and reprioritize.
Spellbinding complexity. Deep, dark, and intense. … Ideal with milk, its intensity is balanced by a complex and subtle sweetness.
Tully’s sets the stage…
A smoky, decadent tale. … French Roast is the ultimate coffee story, as written in a Parisian café: powerful and intense, with a bittersweet end.
…but Starbucks really takes it to a new level:
Intense and Smoky
It’s our darkest and boldest and not for the faint of heart. We start with high-quality beans, which can withstand the intense fires that make French Roast what it is, and we roast them to their edge. The result is a delectably smoky cup, intense and uncompromising.
Green Mountain raises the question of whether we’re drinking coffee here, or wine…
Our Colombian Fair Trade Select is a sunny, warm cup resplendent with ripe fruit notes. Look for lime-citrus brightness and flavors of green apples and sun-plumped raisins. The finish shimmers with sweet notes of grapes and walnut. A beautifully balanced way to smooth out your day.
…as does Tully’s:
Robust and intense, with a lingering finish. … Slow roasting at low temperatures allows this coffee’s complexity to be unwrapped with each sip.
A malty sweetness plays with smoky elements that develop into a full-bodied cup. Creamy and rich in the mouthfeel, the finish is long and pleasantly dry.
The best thing about these descriptions is that my dad has been collecting them and sending them to me as he tries different kinds of coffee. The promotional write-up is often accompanied by his personal appraisal: “Mike, to me this coffee tasted burnt, but it was still good”; “This sounds like a commercial for a fine wine”; “I like the way they word things in these coffee ads. It is kind of like poetry.”
It is. Just like the coffee that’s being marketed, the craftsmanship that goes into the marketers’ descriptions is refreshing and eye-opening.
