The Drum - Sell Me The Truth For A Change

Ahead of a guest-edited issue of The Drum's print magazine set to be helmed by renowned photographer Rankin, The Drum invited readers to create poster ads for fake brands. For the special issue, which focuses on the theme 'Sell me the truth for a change', The Drum explored Honesty In Advertising. Instant coffee ads would have us believe that we drink it for the ‘smooth, rich, flavour’ or to ‘savour the moment’, as we wake from slumber, fresh faced and ready to slow-motion sip a freshly brewed coffee as a gold, silken dress billows around us and a self-satisfied smile begins to creep across our face. In reality we drink instant coffee to keep us awake, as cocaine is, unfortunately for some, illegal. My entry was all about instant coffee as lets face it, it tastes like bitter death water. But we drink it anyway, because we have shit to do, and not many of us have time to wait for a fancy cafteriere to brew, or £3.85 to spend daily on a handcrafted flat white. Caffeine is the socially acceptable drug that keeps the world turning. Imagine a world without coffee, nothing would get done, stock markets would crash and we’d probably all still be in bed. So whilst it still remains socially (and legally) unacceptable to do cocaine at your desk, instant coffee will have to do.