Packaging, advertising, blogger relations and an identity system helped Ugly Mug Coffee appear on more than their share of grocery shelves.
Research established that people identified with Ugly Mug’s name, but existing packaging didn’t leverage that affinitiy. So we developed authentic wood cut type and an attitude (in contrast to that cloying Starbucksian coziness). Purchasing managers were explicit: it was the packaging that helped Ugly Mug onto shelves from Maine to Florida. Simultaneously, we courted influential bloggers. The result? Way more exposure than Ugly Mug could ever afford, and a healthy online sales curve. Apparently the world was ready for unpretentious premium coffee.
Among other national awards, this work was was featured alongside Coca-Cola, Tazo, Vespa, and Wolfgang Puck in Graphis’ Corporate Identity textbook.
