Creating a unique space in an already crowded category

When an enthusiastic client walks through the door and says they want to create a new brand of coffee you do a little inward sigh and ask what on earth can you work with? Well, a surprising amount actually.

Peru Café Limited source 95% of all their beans from there; Peru that is. Peru is a high altitude, dry and often barren country with little or no colour in the landscape, so the people make it for themselves. Peruvians are passionate and love for the sake of loving; what more do you need in life apart from someone to love you (and the ability to source a good coffee?) so right there was an unclaimed positioning; “Love. Coffee.”

I was able to research a lot around Peruvian arts and crafts. The themes for the brand were easy to identify and adapt to suit our needs. Inca Fé means Inca Spirit. The logo is derived from the geometry in Peruvian architecture. The typography enables a bit of ambiguity around the name; being read either: Inca- Fé (Inca spirit) or In Cafe´.

Based in New Plymouth, Inca Fé have already got traction on being the exclusive coffee in cafes in the region. The delivery vehicle draws a lot of comment and has been a useful promotional tool.

I also came up with the personalised plate LUURVE (which is the best post-rationalisation I have ever come up with: note it has in it the letters ‘V’ and Double ‘UU’ – VW).

RIP Jamie.