Brill Coffee

Brewing brill-iance in every cup of instant coffee.

Summary

Sector

Retail, Food & Beverage

Services

Brand Identity

Brand Naming

Brand Positioning

Brand Strategy

Logo Design

Packaging Design

Key Results

Sold out first product run of single-origin coffee.

300% return on initial investment into the business.

Background

Brill Coffee, founded by Joel Brilliant, sought to revolutionise the instant coffee market in Australia. With a mission to deliver premium freeze-dried coffee that doesn't just compete but excite coffee drinkers in the renowned Australian coffee scene, Brill Coffee aimed to redefine perceptions of instant coffee, proving that convenience does not compromise quality.

Challenge

Entering a sophisticated and fiercely competitive coffee industry, Brill Coffee needed to establish a brand identity that justified its premium positioning and appealed across a broad spectrum, from direct consumers to wholesale clients. The challenge was to create an engaging brand and packaging design that stood out in rapid-paced retail environments and online platforms, all on a startup budget.

Solution

We honoured the founder's unique last name, ‘Brilliant’, by distilling it into "Brill, fortuitously emphasising the time-saving value of Brill’s freeze-dried coffee. The logo, designed to be vibrant and playful with a laid-back credibility, features a custom wordmark with stem and leaf-inspired curves and a playful "ri" ligature. The packaging is practical and cost-effective, using self-applied paper labels on premium glass jars and coffee bags, eco-friendly stock for tasting cards, and hand-written thank you notes to build strong emotional connections.

Inspired by flag design principles, Vexillology, we used simple geometry and bold colours to create graphics. The single-origin coffee designs reimagine the locations of the coffee-growing regions. Bright colours reference the origin and evoke the experience of brewing and tasting Brill coffee.

For photography, we collaborated with expert photographers to produce dynamic and flat lay shots, capturing the tone and delight of the coffee-drinking ritual.

Results

The rebranding and launch of Brill Coffee have been met with remarkable success. Within just two months, initial single-origin offerings sold out, achieving a 300% return on investment. The visually compelling brand has attracted attention from design blogs, coffee retailers, and luxury hamper companies, based solely on product appearance. Significant orders for client gifts have been placed, and the brand has gained international and national media features, evolving into a lifestyle brand with an expanding product line and retail opportunities. Brill Coffee's strategic branding by DSR has effectively positioned it as a premium player in the Australian coffee market, promising and delivering excellence in every cup.

Working with Dan and the team at DSR Branding is excellent. The amount of positive feedback I receive each week on the branding and packaging of our product is astounding and I feel extremely proud to have my name on this product, knowing it’s presented so elegantly and uniquely. I couldn’t recommend these guys enough. The professionalism and attention to detail in their work shows and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with them.

We’ve won multiple awards for our designs and frequently receive comments on our branding thanks to Dan and his team.