Sustainability has become the norm within the coffee industry and consumers are becoming increasingly skeptical of ethical messages from big brands. In an effort to make a real difference in people’s lives, JWT London developed a pioneering, category-redefining idea to reawaken the UK population to Kenco’s commitment to doing good. Kenco, one of the world’s largest coffee brands, has embarked on an initiative that brings the brand beyond its limits.
Kenco sources its coffee from some of the most beautiful countries in the world. However, many of these countries are ridden with gangs responsible for thousands of murders, with countless innocent people caught in the crossfire. The unfortunate reality of young people growing up amongst the gangs is that lacking opportunity, they tend to fall into the gang life.
The idea, by the JWT London team, was to give them a choice where currently they have none. In Honduras, where the gang problem is one of the worst in the world, JWT has set up a year-long scheme to train young at-risk people in coffee farming. The 20 recruits will be given the training and support to build a better life for themselves as coffee farmers, away from the gangs.
The campaign has kicked off with a TV ad created by JWT London, featuring a young man on the brink of being involved in a gang before becoming a coffee grower. The strategy is to follow the progress of the 20 young people as they embark on their education and training program, supported and created by Kenco.
This marketing idea really supersedes the brand, offering the freedom to make a genuine difference in the world.