This was an advertising proposal my team and I created for the Upstate New York based coffee company: Death Wish Coffee.

1. Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee
CarlyChapman
MattFiacco
MatthewKarlewicz
KellyNash
MatthewWoolam

3. EXECUTIVESUMMARYEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. BOLDER
RESEARCH
BRAINSTORM
INCUBATE
CREATE
VERIFY
EXECUTE
MEDIA
At Bolder Media, we work with clients to help them achieve their most ambitious advertising and marketing goals. Since our
creation, we strive to make creative, meaningful ads that stand out powerfully from the crown and are aimed directly at the
consumer. With our key six step process we aim not only to please, but to amaze our clients with careful preparation and
extreme attention to detail in our advertisements. Our specialties are endless, including digital, print, radio, television and the
Internet. Our objective is to make an impact in every campaign. Do you need an advertisement? Why not be bold?

5. EXECUTIVESUMMARYHistory
Mike Brown went on a quest to find the world's strongest coffee.
Joined Facebook
Joined YouTube
Joined Twitter
Death Wish Coffee was created
First Instagram post
Death Wish Coffee Blog was created
Death K Cups were created
Unveiled their new line of Barrel Brand Coffee
Death Wish Coffee won the QuickBooks’ Small Business Big Game Competition
First ever CoffeeCast
JULY 2010
MARCH2010
SEPTEMBER 2011
OCTOBER 2011
2012
JUNE 2012
OCTOBER 2013
SEPTEMBER 2013
NOVEMBER 2014
FEBRUARY 2016
APRIL 2016

6. EXECUTIVESUMMARYENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
Death Wish Coffee Company (DWCC) is 100 percent USDA Certified.
This means that the production of the coffee beans used in DWCC’s
blend meets their high standards. These standards apply to farming
methods, and environmental pollution. Specifically, coffee that isn’t
certified under the USDA is cultivated with chemicals that deplete
the nutrients from soil, and pollute local groundwater reserves.
DWCC is a proud host of the USDA Organic certification.
Death Wish Coffee Company (DWCC) is Fair Trade Certified.
Typically, coffee beans are farmed and traded from impoverished
countries. These countries sometimes employ slave labor, and
unhealthy working conditions. The Fair Trade Certification means
that a company doing business, under the seal, is NOT supporting
these practices. It promotes transparency and helps farmers escape
poverty, netting them fair wages and safe conditions.
RegulatoryAspects

7. EXECUTIVESUMMARYENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
Owner of DWCC, Mike Brown, has
dedicated himself to creating the best
possible product for his customers. The
Death Wish blend underwent over a year
of testing to meet the standards it
currently holds today.
DWCC holds its standards to such a
degree that even the climates in their
countries of trade are taken into account.
As the climates change, the strength of
the beans may vary. DWCC’s blends
consist of beans purchased from two
countries, but to ensure that the quality of
beans remains at its constant highest, as
many as 35 different coffees are sampled
for taste and caffeine.
SocioculturalAspects
Mike Brown, Owner andFounder of Death WishCoffee Company

8. EXECUTIVESUMMARYENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
DWCC’s focus is to produce a delicious, and
highly caffeinated coffee. In order to ensure that
they produce the strongest tasting and
caffeinated coffee, their beans undergo an
intense and complex roasting process. The
process was developed as part of DWCC’s
secret recipe, which also includes a mixture of
Arabica and Robusta beans. DWCC made sure
to get the most efficient, and powerful roaster in
the world.
The Loring Kestrel Roaster roasts coffee beans
in a low oxygen environment. This controls the
heat and keeps the beans away from direct
heat. These features lock in the flavor, and avoid
any burnt or charred bits from polluting the
richness of DWCC’s blends.
TechnologicalAspects

9. EXECUTIVESUMMARYCOMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Offer pre-ground pacs
for customers
Similar but cheaper
Very strong/high
quality
Strong call to action on
their website
Still more expensive
than most brands
Less accessible
Primarily online
Poor social media
presence
Lacking online
presence
Not very strong
Have to buy online
Not independent
Expensive
Not as caffeinated
Lack of internal focus
(too much focus on
expansion)
Unheard of brand
Primarily online
Not as strong
Offered in K-Cups
Good price
Helps a good cause
by benefitting farmers
Large variety of
flavors
Loyal customer base
High brand
awareness
Fast/accessible
Many options and
flavors
Locations world wide
Direct competitor:
claim that Death Wish
‘stole’ their recipe
Cheaper
Organic/fair trade
Has a presence in
multiple countries
Strengths Strengths
Weaknesses Weaknesses Weaknesses Weaknesses
Strengths Strengths

10. EXECUTIVESUMMARYSWOT ANALYSIS
Opportunities
WeaknessesStrengths
Threats
Heavy Social media Presence
Theming
Blog-keeps consumers up to date
Constantly showing consumers
new ways to use their product
Very strong coffee
Environmentally friendly
More convenient coffee (starbucks
etc.)
Other brands with “worlds strongest
coffee” theming
Don’t have to wait when you buy
coffee at the store or in a coffee shop
Other companies get to know their
consumers better because they
aren’t online
Expensive
Low publicity
Majority only online
Many people may not like the coffee’s
strength
Very specific target market and brand
personality
Many untapped media outlets
More locations and in store buying
Can show off creative uses of the
brand
Use it’s online fans for WOM
Can create more advertising
materials

11. EXECUTIVESUMMARYOBJECTIVES & BUDGET
To discover online shopping and coffee drinking trends within our target market
To understand current views on Death Wish Coffee
To understand what it would take to get members of our target audience to buy premium coffee online
To understand what our target audience wants from their coffee
ResearchObjectives

12. Bolder Media conducted primary research by creating a comprehensive online survey for our 18-35 year old target audience. The surveys
purpose was to discover trends in how consumers get their coffee, why they drink it and their feelings on shopping online since Death Wish is
primarily online.
Of our results, 65% of 70 participants were in our target market. 30% were male and 67% were female.
Of our participants, 67% said one of the reasons they drink coffee is to wake up in the morning, and 62% said they drink it for the taste. DWC
specializes in both taste and caffeine.
49% said they buy ground coffee to make at home. When asked about how important the caffeine intake is to them, 50% said it is kind of
important to them, and 11% said it is extremely important to them, showing us there is a substantial group which care about their caffeine.
At the moment, only 9% of our participants said they shop for groceries online, but 69% said they would by coffee online if it had a unique taste.
Lastly and most importantly, a large 86% of participants had not heard of Death Wish Coffee before participating in the survey. What does this
tell us? Because a majority of our audience has not heard of Death Wish Coffee, we have the opportunity to establish it as a coffee brand that
will really wake you up in the morning because of its caffeine, and has a very unique taste, which is what our target audience wants most out of
their coffee. Additionally, we have to prove to our market why buying coffee online is worth it when it comes to Death Wish Coffee.
PrimaryResearch
67% 86%62%
67% drinkcoffeeto
wakeupintheAM
62% drinkcoffeefor
thetaste
86% neverheardof
DeathWishCoffee

13. Our secondary research is meant explore the online market, and get some reactions based on
those who have tried Death Wish. We found in our primary research that many people have not
reached a stage where they are willing to try Death Wish Coffee yet. We also wanted to
understand the reactions of those who have tried it and the effect of their Ad during the super
bowl. First, we looked to the source where Death Wish primarily makes most of their sales,
Amazon.com. Death Wish Coffee is Amazon’s number 12 top selling coffee. To understand how
customers felt about it, we looked at the over rated score, and the top critical comment of the
coffee. Of 7,785 reviews, the scores were: 5 stars (82%) 4 stars (10%) 3 stars and below (8%). The
Top Critical Comment on Amazon, submitted by Benny Profane (3 star rating,) complained that
the coffee was not as strongly caffeinated as advertised, also complained that the price was
“steep.” However, this review rating only matches 8% of the overall reviews for the product. 92%
of customers felt that DWC was of higher score value.
A Huffington post article written by Andy Campbell in 2013, Titled “Death Wish Coffee: ‘World's
Strongest' Coffee Claim Put to the Test.’” wrote about the underwhelming nature of the caffeine
content. Campbell pointed out that he was an avid coffee drinker, and that it was difficult for
him to achieve a caffeine buzz. However, Death Wish was able to give him a buzz, just not as
strong as he expected by the package label and press release. What we derived from this, and
the Top Critical Comment on Amazon, was that people who are heavy users of coffee, in
general, are likely to be underwhelmed by the caffeine content of the coffee. This is simply
because there is a natural tolerance to caffeine built up when drinking coffee for an extended
time. Ways we can address this issue in advertising, or in the warning label, would be to
separate heavy and light users of coffee products in general.
Another important aspect we chose to focus on was the effect of their super bowl. According to
a CNBC article, Death Wish Coffee, Goldieblox looks back on super bowl win, written by
Michelle Castillo on Thursday March 24th 2016, the ad did well amongst audiences. The article
goes on to explain how DWCC won a small business competition which awarded them a 30
second spot commercial during the super bowl. After the ad aired, the site was immediately hit
with around 150,000 views. 64% of people enjoyed the ad, 87% said they’d remember the ad,
and the next day Death Wish Coffee was the #1 best seller on Amazon. What this tells us is very
clear; Death Wish is a brand of high interest. Increasing exposure for the brand, and knowledge
of the product will undoubtedly result in more sales. Death Wish with is an internet brand, we
aim to make it more available, and widely known as a delicious highly caffeinated coffee.
SecondaryResearch

14. EXECUTIVESUMMARYBRAND VALUE PROPITION
Coffee is a staple for the morning of many Americans. Everyday people slump out
of bed and walk down the stairs in order to start their pot up. Coffee is, in many
households, the centerpiece to their morning. It wakes them up with a taste they
enjoy. Death Wish provides coffee drinkers with a very large caffeine quantity,
keeping its users awake and attentive all day long without compromising on the
taste. Death Wish Coffee’s unique taste combines a touch of chocolate and
cherry to a traditional coffee flavor.
FunctionalBenefits
Death Wish Coffee is made to be the most highly caffeinated coffee around. With
this in mind, Death Wish has the power to really pack a punch, leaving consumers
wide awake and attentive, ready to take on anything that could come their way
during the day. Since Death Wish Coffee is all natural, consumers can not only
have a more clear head after drinking, but feel good about it as well knowing they
aren’t consuming any additional additives.
EmotionalBenefits
By drinking Death Wish Coffee, consumers show they aren’t afraid to try
something different. They know by drinking it they are living life in the fast lane
and on the dangerous side and aren’t afraid to show it. They prove they are willing
to try new things with a daredevil kind of an attitude, brave enough to take on any
task that comes their way.
Self-ExpressiveBenefits

15. Jim
EXECUTIVESUMMARYTARGET MARKET
Ben is a 25 year old writer living in New York City. He lives a very
active lifestyle, and loves to partake in extreme sports such as
mountain biking. He has a difficult time balancing his work and
social life, and because of this gets very tired throughout the
day. When he needs a boost, he always turns to Death Wish.
The high caffeine content is perfect for his active lifestyle, and
whether it be mountain biking or blogging, it always keeps him
alert throughout. Ben is very social and likes to hang out with
his friends at his local coffee shop, although he prefers Death
Wish. He enjoys the unique packaging and name of Death
Wish, as he feels that it perfectly suits his abstract and artistic
personality.
PrimaryAudience:18-35
Jim is a 42 year old father of 2 living in New Hampshire. He
considers himself to have a refined taste, and enjoys premium
products such as craft beers and Death Wish coffee. He makes
himself a cup every morning and brings it with him in his travel
mug as he heads to his office job. Jim likes both the premium
taste that Death Wish offers, as well as the caffeine that gets him
through the day. After a busy day of work, Jim comes home to
his family and starts his second job as a dad. After a stressful,
Jim likes to unwind while watching TV. He often drinks a cup of
Death Wish as the taste is perfect for him to de-stress.
SecondaryAudience:35-55
BenBen Jim

16. EXECUTIVESUMMARYCAMPAIGN STRATEGY
Our Campaign focuses on the part of our audience that has never tried the
Death Wish Coffee blend. Our slogan, “Do You Dare?,” is a playful invitation as
well as a call to action. We want people be excited about our clients coffee.
We want people to be interested. “Do You Dare?” provokes a challenge which
we hope people will embrace and attempt to “overcome.”
Challenge
Death Wish Coffee is a brand which promises an extremely high quantity of
caffeine and a unique taste. As a result, we know those who buy and consume
Death Wish Coffee care about their caffeine intake and enjoy the energy that it
gives them, allowing them to be more attentive and put more energy into
whatever they do throughout their day.
KeyInsight
The Death Wish Coffee blend promises to be the most caffeinated cup of coffee
you’ve ever had. Boasting 200% higher caffeine content per cup, it will certainly
WAKE YOU UP. Death Wish provides incredible wake-up-ability, as well as a
unique and delicious flavor.
Solution

17. EXECUTIVESUMMARYTHE BIG IDEA
Death Wish Coffee:
Do You Dare?Death Wish Coffee:
Do You Dare?

18. EXECUTIVESUMMARYCREATIVE OVERVIEW
Through the research our team conducted, we have gained an understanding of what our
target audience, those 18-34 and 35-54 years of age, need and want when it comes to
coffee. We know our chosen audience has tendencies for choosing finer coffee, and we
hope to expand upon that, showing the benefits of buying Death Wish over other coffees.
CreativeStrategy
Death Wish is unlike any other brand. It conveys a bold, daring, and striking products that will
stand out amongst other advertisements. We will use darker colors in our ads, and lots of
contrast to grab the attention of everyone who sees them. Each advertisement will depict a
different scenario in which Death Wish saves the day. It will appeal to students, businessmen,
and coffee drinkers alike, showing all how effective and worth the cost Death Wish really is.
Each advertisement features our big idea, “do you dare?”. This serves as a playful invitation and
a call to action, to get people excited about the brand. The slogan will be in a bold, almost
daring text, exemplifying the audacious brand image that Death Wish conveys. Our copy will
include the details on the back of Death Wish coffee bags, as well as call-to-actions, through
facebook, and coupons.
ArtDirection
Copywriting

19. EXECUTIVESUMMARYPRINT ADVERTISMENTS

20. EXECUTIVESUMMARYPRINT ADVERTISMENTS

21. EXECUTIVESUMMARYONLINE

22. EXECUTIVESUMMARYRADIO
Starts off as a typical radio ad: DJ introduction
“Gooood morning ladies and gentle, I hope you’re not too tired for wherever
you're heading, but if you are, I know a little something you could try that might
fix that… all week. The most caffeinated coffee in the world! Death Wish Coffee!
Do you dare?”
... goes into commercial, which is relaxing, smooth, describes the taste of death
wish in kind of a snooty tone… dark rich chocolate… tangy and sweet cherries….
Flutes and harps playing...Then a sip noise… “wake up!” Chop suey cuts in,
crazy, loud, maybe some motor cycle engines or a jet plane taking off… WOOOO!
DEATH WISH COFFEE, DO YOU DARE? Then the “please drink responsibly” cut
in from beer commercials plays.
Solution

23. EXECUTIVESUMMARYTV COMMERCIAL

24. EXECUTIVESUMMARYCREATIVE TESTING

25. EXECUTIVESUMMARYMEDIA OBJECTIVES
We chose our target market of men and women from 18-35 because we found that
they are more likely to try something new, and set a trend than other markets. They
tend to be the energetic, and daring kind who are excited to try knew things, and
because college and starting up a career can be fairly exhausting we understand
they need something to keep them going from time to time. Death Wish Coffee
handles just that. Similarly, our secondary market of men aged 36-55 can also be
busy workers, and often tired who need an extra jolt. In order to reach our target
market, we decided to put our ads in magazines, online, in television and in radio.
TargetAudience
EffectiveFrequency
MediaDimensions
EffectiveReach
Because of the nature of Death Wish Coffee, being a brand sold primarily online and
shipping anywhere in the country, we will be mainly be placing our ads nationally,
and in four mediums that are generally distributed on a national basis. Magazines,
online banners, television ads and radio ads can be seen or heard from anywhere in
the country, and we will take advantage of that.
GeographicScope
As previously said, our campaign will have coverage on a national basis through
television, magazines, radio and online banners. Because Death Wish Coffee is
physically sold in select stores in the North East, we will advertise more heavily there
opposed to other parts of the country.
MessageWeight
70
4
Our campaign will feature a pulsing strategy. This is because while work is year
long, school lasts from late august to may, and while we plan on advertising the
whole year, we aim to advertise heavier during those months in order to catch the
attention of college students.
Radio: 30 seconds
Television: 30 seconds
Magazine: 8.5 inches by 11 inches
Online: 120 pixels by 600 pixels.
MediaStrategiesContinuity

26. EXECUTIVESUMMARYMEDIA CHOICES: MAGAZINES
Draft is a magazine published bi-monthly primarily focusing on honoring beer.
However, it has much more too it, covering nearly every aspect of entertainment
from sports to video games. It attracts readers with a very active lifestyle, who
require enough energy to get them through both their hard work and their thrilling
nightlife. Because of Death Wish Coffee’s extraordinary power to get people
through their day, those who read Draft Magazine will want to give it a shot, to avoid
having a night where they’re just too tired to have a good time with good friends.
Due to it’s content, it attracts men and women of all ages, handling both our primary
and secondary audiences.
DraftMagazine
Circulation:6,901,964
Circulation:114,860
Circulation:167,571
Aimed at a young adult audience, Inked aims for those who appreciate art in all
forms, especially the more contemporary ones such as tattoos and high end cars.
Inked attracts those who are not afraid to be passionate about something a little
different from what you’d usually see, but are willing to give new things a try. That is
just the type of audience we are hoping to attract with our Death Wish Coffee
campaign. Inked magazine will help us find young adult males who are interested in
what’s new, and trends they can start, which is just what Death Wish needs.
Inked
Game Informer is a magazine which specializes in giving readers the latest gaming
news on all platforms. Based on information from SDRS, it is a magazine read
monthly by both men and women with a mean age of 28, placing it directly in our
target market’s eyes. Gamers and coders alike tend to spend long hours awake and
in front of a computer finishing their latest project, making them perfect candidates
for Death Wish Coffee, which can give them the extra boost they need.
GameInformer

27. EXECUTIVESUMMARYMEDIA CHOICES: TELEVISION
This horror drama is one of television’s highest rated shows and frequently watched
in our target market, focusing on the world after the zombie apocalypse. Because
the premise of the show has a very extreme tone between the action and the
emotionally backed scenarios it would be a very good fit for Death Wish Coffee. The
extreme, daring nature of the show is exactly what we are aiming for with or
campaign, and we believe it is an excellent fit for our audience.
AMC- TheWalkingDead Sundaysat9pm
Mondaysat10pm
Thursdaysat10pm
A spin off from the hit show Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul is a show about a con
artist turned lawyer who practices law a little differently than you would expect. It
appeals to both those who were fans of the original high action show, and those
who enjoy looking at things from a different angle. Death Wish is very similar to this
and would appeal to this audience because it pushes coffee to it’s limits, pushing it
to a very extreme nature.
AMC- BetterCallSaul
Ridiculousness is a show that can be very well summed up by it’s name. It takes
home videos of the more extreme nature and makes fun of the people in the videos.
Because of the extreme nature of the various videos played in the show it appeals
very much to the active, energetic portion of our audience.
MTV- Ridiculousness
American Horror Story is a show that accomplishes just that, an anthology series
portraying several staples to the horror genre. It’s material is very edgy and
frightening, making it a great show for those seeking a thrill. This makes it a very
easy choice for Death Wish, as we are trying to attract an audience that has a
passion for thrills that come from something a little different than usual.
FX- AmericanHorrorStory Wednesdaysat10pm
Tuesdaysat10pm
Sundaysat11pm
Much like the magazine Inked, Ink Master is about honor art no matter what form it
comes in, like tattoos. It appeals to those who can see the beauty in non traditional
art forms, people who aren’t afraid to show they enjoy something a little different
from the usual. Because of this, it is a good fit for Death Wish, a coffee brand that is a
little different from your average cup of coffee.
SPIKE- InkMaster
Rick and Morty is a ridiculous animated show about a boy and his mad scientist
grandfather traveling through space and experimenting with inventions out of
science fiction. It’s different from your average animated comedy, adding a layer of
thrill to the mix. Because of it’s growing popularity as well as it’s out of the ordinary
material we believe it is a great fit for Death Wish. Additionally, because of it’s late
airing time, 11 pm, we believe those with the night owl persona will be watching,
who would be very interested in having an extra kick in their mornings to power
their way through the day.
AdultSwim- RickandMorty