client-facing research document on illy brand

1. Brand Research
Connor McGaffin
Sebastian Carpenter

2. Illy was founded in 1933 in Trieste, Italy by Francesco Illy, an
immigrant from modern day Romania (then part of the Austro-
Hungarian Empire). Illy got his start working in coffee and cocoa
industries, leading him to develop and patent a unique canning
system for preserving coffee beans. This allowed his coffee to be
delivered to different locations after being roasted, rather than
having to be roasted at location.
Illy’s invention became the signature packaging illycaffe still uses
today to sell its coffee.
Francesco Illy handed down management of his company
to his son, Ernesto Illy, who expanded the company’s reach
and product offerings. Currently, Ernesto’s son, Andrea Illy is
chairman of the corporation and Massimo Pogliani is CEO.
In 2005, Illy began extending its reach beyond coffee to
other related industries, with the acquisition of a stake in
Agrimontana, a high-end jam company. Illy continued to expand
in the following years with its acquisition of Domori chocolate
in 2006, Dammann Freres, a French tea company, in 2007, and
Mastrojanni wine in 2008. While all of these companies now
belong to the same corporation, their brands and names have
remained independent from each other.
A Brief History

3. Branding Standards
Logo Colors
Type Used
TUSSILAGO REGULAR
(customized)
OPEN SANS BOLD
OPEN SANS REGULAR
Termina Regular
Almost all type that illy uses is seen on their cannisters
R: 231
G: 0
B: 29
R: 255
G: 255
B: 255
R: 0
G: 0
B: 0

4. Current Ad Campaign
The Live Happilly campaign is highlighting notable creatives
who, like illy, never settle for less in their creative work.
The visual structure of the campaign can demonstrates the illy
creative guidelines
The #LiveHappilly campaign is highlighting notable creatives
who, like illy, never settle for less in their creative work.
Advertising
OPEN SANS BOLD
Open Sans Regular
the square geometry and color is borrowed from the logo
to highlight a region of interest

5. Personality and Tone
Brand Perception
Illy positions itself as the leader in the premium coffee market
and has sales in 140 countries.
Illy is considerate, hardworking, friendly
Its products are clean and simple, yet playful
Illy is in touch with its audience
Customers are involved in media campaigns to let voice their experiences
Illy is cultured, but relatable
The brand shares its culture with customers, without asking them to
understand it before taking part
Illy is notable, even to people who don’t drink its coffee, for its
cans. They’re something substantial that you want to hold onto
after the coffee is gone, similar to how people keep Altoids tins.
Illy is a higher-end company, their coffee and machines are not
something you buy for a quick shock of caffeine.
Illy makes good coffee that’s worth the price, and it’s true to its
background, providing authentic italian espresso.
How Our Branding Feels

6. Coffee
Machines
Accessories
The product line for illy abides by visual conventions that are
similar to the branding guidelines.
Key Products
whole bean coffee
espresso and moka coffee
ground drip coffee
coffee capsules
ESE pods (single-serve espresso)
canned cold brew
traditional espresso machines
iperespresso machines
multi-purpose coffee machines
coffee Makers
ESE pod machine
coffee cups
espresso cups
sugar packets
espresso tampers
espresso scoops
coffee stirs
storage tins
travel mugs
sugar holders
coffee capsule holders
illy art espresso cups
illy art espresso plates

7. Coffee Shops
Storefronts
Art Installations
Illy currently offers several branded physical environments
Existing Environments
clean
elegant
a little bit fun and playful
designed to spend periods of time at
simple
eye-catching
draw attention to the products
environment fades into the background
consistent with brand colors and forms
artists commissioned by illy installpieces at
the Venice Biennale.
Largely artist-defined, but often features
Illy branding in some way

8. Competitors
How We’re Different
Illy positions itself as the leader in the premium coffee market
and has sales in 140 countries.
Illy’s biggest competitor is LaVazza, which also occupies the
high-end of the Italian coffee market. Other companies, such as
Segafredo, Nestle, Dunkin, Starbucks, and Keurig also compete
with Illy, as they also operate in the coffee space, but many of
their products are positioned in the lower-end of the market, so
they are not direct competitors.
Differentiation from competitors:
Illy focuses on simplicity and consistency, the patented
packaging ensures that the coffee is preserved just as it
is intended, and the coffee itself is free of gimmicks and
unnecessary extra flavors, allowing the coffee to speak. Illy
machines deliver on this same promise, making sure illy coffee
tastes just as it is intended.
The simple branding reflects the simplicity of the products, the
lack of gimmicks.
Illy’s focus on the arts, culture, and design emphasize that
people who drink Illy seek coffee not just as a drink, but as a
mindful experience as well.
The Premium Coffee Market

9. illy offers a consistent cup of coffee that others cannot
illy values simplicity over gimmicks
illy is a celebration of art, design, and culture
Understanding Illy’s brand through its projected image and
products, we’ve gleaned three main insights about the company:
Take Aways
Key Insights

10. Branded Pop - Up
Illy markets coffee as an experience, not just a product.
The popup should emphasize distinction
Illy has a very strong and consistent visual language
through all of its products, campaigns, and
environments. Making sure that is carried through in the
popup is key
The popup should dispel any misconceptions about the
company, being careful not to come off as overly serious
or pretentious
To carry Illy’s brand image through into a popup, a few
considerations need to be kept in mind in order to help
strengthen the brand:
Looking Forward