One thing that’s a given when it comes to busy city life is that coffee-to-go is an integral part of our everyday survival.  Coffee soothes the soul, invigorates imaginations and generally just makes all that stress ease away, even if it’s only for the time it takes to savour the very last drop.  Coffee has become such a national obsession that us Brits drink a staggering 70 million cups a day.  A quick glance around your local high street tells a tale – there are cafes everywhere.  We’re spoilt for choice and with such an abundance of options on offer, our tastes as consumers has evolved.  We’re savvier than ever before with more and more of us choosing independent cafes over the chains.  We’re drawn to the exclusivity and originality that independents offer.  And in the city, above all it’s the working professionals that flock to cafes in their droves for yet another hit of that feel-good caffeine fix.

The majority of city professionals grab their first cup of the day the minute they get off the train or tube, often enjoying the simple convenience of their favourite local cafe near the office. While demand has driven up supply, the reality is takeaway coffee is still one of life’s everyday luxuries.  This means that the coffee shop audience is naturally affluent, especially in the city where the core demographic is busy city professionals who frequent the cafe space as a natural midpoint between home and office.  Coffee Shops not only offer the convenience of a quick coffee to have on the go, they also cater to professionals who might want a change of scenery away from the office or simply a place to take time out from the mania of a busy day.  There is also all the coffee, cake and connectivity necessary for informal business meetings or casual interviews to take place.  It’s the versatility that makes a Coffee Shop such an habitual part of our everyday work routine.  And it’s something the London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) immediately understood as a route to a niche audience that might be interested in their professional courses.

LSBF is an exclusive private business school that offers a multitude of different qualifications attracting only the most talented and ambitious of candidates looking to develop their careers.  While their courses suit a variety of different consumers, their ACCA accounting courses in particular suit professionals working in financial organisations, the majority of which are located in the City of London’s Square Mile.  By advertising on branded takeaway Coffee Cups, the LSBF message was delivered directly into the hands of a City business audience grabbing a quick coffee to go during the day.  While this audience is notoriously elusive and difficult to engage, advertising on Coffee Cups allows LSBF to disrupt an everyday habit and capitalise on an immersive moment where minds are naturally more relaxed and open to persuasion.  Coffee is all about achieving that feel-good and the associated effects naturally influence the delivery of the message in a positive way.  

And to make that message even more effective, LSBF has incorporated brilliant contextual creative with the strapline, ‘Imagine how many coffees £45k can get you.  That’s the average starting salary of an accountant in London.’  It’s an excellent way to grab attention, especially when consumers ordering a coffee-to-go have naturally taken some time out of their busy day to immerse themselves in a little ‘me’ time.  We spend an average 18 minutes with our takeaway coffee with over half of takeaway coffees ending up on a desk in the office where the branded cups can sit for hours on end, inspiring conversation amongst colleagues and allowing multiple impacts across the course of the day to prompt consumers online.  Taking a break to have a coffee is also exactly the kind of moment during the day when we might be mulling over our plans for the future and considering investing in further education.  It’s a magical mix.