We’ve partnered with a couple coffee veterans to build a brand that’s already made its way into grocery stores, breweries, the news, and – of course – the hearts and minds of coffee lovers. Meet Bad Teddy.
Brand Name & Shelf Game
We inherited the name with the partnership. But the first thing we did was set about figuring out how to own it.
We engaged in our own special blend of speed branding to nail down the core elements of the brand, and look for angles we could exploit in positioning.
Ultimately, we defined a personality and position for the brand that allowed us to jump off into product development, packaging, and the whole shebang.
BTS with Micah
The idea behind Bad Teddy was simple: create a company that does flavored coffee really well. Intentionally sourced arabica beans, non-chemical flavorings only, all under the banner of an irreverent teddy bear who’s gone bad.
Who’s Bad?
The brand name was obviously perfect for a mascot, so that’s where I started.
We skipped our typical mood board process because a vision was already forming in my head. I picked up my iPad and started sketching teddy bear ideas.
Getting Undead
After several iterations, I landed on the core elements: a teddy bear head, a streak of hair that reads like lightning, and a subtle skull/zombie face.
Killer Color
With the logo locked in, I moved into typography and color. Grocery store research exposed lots of muted browns and blacks, but nothing super bright or simple. So I leaned into bright, bold, eye-catching colors.
For typography, I wanted something sturdy, capped, and unapologetic. A word mark that would look good both clean and a little grunged up.
Frenzy of Flavor
The guys came to us with a sense of key flavors for launch, but we wanted to punch up the vibe to match the brand personality.
- French Vanilloutine: French vanilla you say? What if we hearken back to the horrors of the French Revolution and let the good times roll?
- Cinnamayhem: Cinnamon rolls sound delicious, but what if they were also dangerously caffeinated? Lets add mayhem to the mix.
- Chocolate Toffiend: Move over cocoa puffs, there’s a new cuckoo in town.
“The coffee you made this morning was so good. What was it?”
– Micah’s wife when he tricked her into drinking Bad Teddy’s Medium Roast
Doggone it, people like me.
Imagine our gratification; the product has been met with a wildly positive response right out of the gates!
Recently tried Bad Teddy coffee, and I was genuinely impressed.
The flavor was rich with a strong chocolate note that made every cup feel indulgent yet perfectly balanced. It was incredibly smooth and full of flavor without any bitterness– just the way great coffee should be. One unexpected bonus? The packaging!”
“Just brewed my first round of Bad Teddy Coffee, and I am FLOORED!
So yummy! I bought the Chocolate Toffiend and the flavor? Chef’s kiss. Very well rounded flavors with a hint of chocolate with nutty tones. I used a mild creamer with it to get the full feel and it’s amazing. The packaging is so cool with all their bad teddies and vibrant colors. Very well done. I recommend this brand. I can’t wait to try more flavors”
Good teddies hibernate, Bad Teddy caffeinates.
This article was originally one of the illustrious semi-regular Love and Science emails. Wanna get in on the action? Sign up today.
