Why People Brag About Death Wish Coffee?

Most coffee brands want to be smooth, balanced, and sophisticated.

Death Wish Coffee? It wants to knock you out.

This isn’t your typical morning brew. They positioned it as the world’s strongest coffee - a cup so intense it feels like a dare.

And that’s exactly why it exploded into a cult brand.

But how does a small coffee company go from a local shop to winning a Super Bowl ad and building a brand people are obsessed with?

The secret isn’t just in the caffeine. It’s in bold branding, better positioning, and a fearless commitment to standing out.

Let’s break it down.

The Big Idea:

Story Behind The Death Wish Coffee

Ever had a moment when regular coffee just wasn’t enough? You wake up groggy, take a sip, and… nothing. The caffeine barely moves the needle.

That was the problem Mike Brown faced in his small coffee shop in Saratoga Springs, New York. Customers kept asking for something stronger - something that would actually wake them up.

At the time, the market had two types of coffee:

1. Mass-market brands (like Starbucks) that focus on taste and experience.

2. Hardcore, high-caffeine coffee that lacked good branding or positioning.

Mike saw an opportunity. What if he created a coffee that wasn’t just strong but marketed as the strongest coffee in the world?

And so, Death Wish Coffee was born.

But the differentiating aspect wasn’t just in the product. It was in how they branded it - bold, rebellious, and completely unforgettable.

Behind the Magic:

Turning a Small Idea Into a Global Brand

Making a strong coffee isn’t hard. You tweak the bean blend, adjust the roasting process, and boom! There you go, high caffeine.

But that’s not what made Death Wish Coffee famous.

The real success of meat was in how they marketed it.

They didn’t just sell coffee. They sold an attitude. A lifestyle. A story.

And here’s how they turned a small idea into a global brand.

1. They Sold a Feeling, Not Just a Product

Most coffee brands talk about taste - words like “smooth,” “rich,” or “balanced.” Death Wish Coffee took a different approach.

People love showing off. They want to feel special, different, tough.

Death Wish Coffee gave them that.

They made their coffee sound dangerous, powerful, and extreme.

For example, look at how scary (and strong) their website looks:

Everything about their brand, name, logo, packaging, told the same story:

• This is not for weak people.

• Other coffee won’t wake you up like this.

• Drinking it means you are strong, bold, and unstoppable.

I mean, look at the brand name. It feels like a challenge.

Their customers became part of a tribe who prided themselves on drinking the world’s strongest coffee.

How you can apply this?

People don’t just buy products. They buy feelings.

They want to feel strong, smart, successful, or part of something special.

• Red Bull isn’t about taste but being an extreme athlete.

• Apple isn’t about phones but about being creative and different.

• Death Wish Coffee isn’t just about caffeine but being unstoppable.

Look at your product. What feeling does it create? What identity does it give your customers? Sell that, not just the features.

2. They Focused on a Small, Passionate Group

Most businesses try to please everyone.

They think if they make their product for more people, they sell more.

Death Wish Coffee did the opposite.

They didn’t try to be a coffee for everyone. They focused on a specific group: people who love strong coffee and need serious caffeine.

They didn’t worry about being too much. They doubled down. They didn’t try to be for everyone. They said: If you can’t handle this, it’s not for you.

Instead of saying they make great coffee, they made a big, bold promise:

The strongest coffee in the world.

Some people thought it was too strong. But that was okay!

The people who loved strong coffee became die-hard fans. Because when something feels exclusive, dangerous, or off-limits, people crave it.

Look at these reviews:

How you can apply this?

The more specific your brand is, the easier it is for people to remember it.

Instead of trying to be “better,” try to be different.

• If you run a newsletter, don’t write about “marketing.” Write about one specific thing (e.g., email marketing for SaaS founders).

• If you sell software, don’t say you have great features. Say you are the best tool for [a specific use case].

• If you sell physical products, don’t be like everyone else. Find one strong promise and go all in.

A brand that tries to be for everyone becomes forgettable. A brand that speaks directly to one group creates superfans.

3. They Made Their Brand Easy to Share

People don’t share boring products.

They share things that feel cool, surprising, or extreme. Death Wish Coffee ensured their brand was something people wanted to talk about.

• The name sounds risky. “Death Wish Coffee” makes people ask, “Wait… what? Is it really that strong?”

• The logo (a skull and crossbones) makes the product instantly recognizable. Even if you see it once, you remember it. Here’s that.

• The big claim (“World’s Strongest Coffee”) makes people curious to try it and tell others.

And we observe keenly, we see:

They didn’t talk about notes of chocolate or hints of caramel.
They didn’t use soft, cozy branding like Starbucks.
They didn’t try to sound fancy or sophisticated.

Instead, they went all in on bold, in-your-face marketing.

Their website? Dark, edgy, unapologetic.
Their ads? Wild, hilarious, and unforgettable.
And the result? A brand people remembered instantly.

Because of this, people started talking about it, posting about it, and sharing it with friends for free.

How you can apply this?

Ask yourself: Would people naturally talk about my product?

If not, make it easier for them.

• Does my brand stand out? If your logo, name, and packaging look like everyone else’s, you won’t get noticed.

• Is my product fun or shocking to talk about? The best marketing is when customers say, “You HAVE to try this.”

• Am I making sharing easy? Referral programs, social media challenges, or funny email marketing can all help.

A product that’s easy to share will spread on its own.

4. They Built a Community, Not Just Customers

Great brands don’t just sell products. They build a movement.

And Death Wish Coffee didn’t just sell coffee and move on. They made their customers feel like they were part of something bigger.

• They sent fun, personality-filled emails instead of boring sales messages. [Behind-the-scenes content to make them feel like insiders].

Check out this X post:

And this:

• They featured customer stories and photos to make fans feel valued. [Community-driven campaigns to make them feel included]

• They created a strong brand voice - funny, rebellious, and energetic. [A brand voice that spoke directly to them so they feel seen].

This wasn’t just a transaction. It was a relationship.

And that’s why people stuck around.

How you can apply this?

You don’t just want buyers. You want fans- people who love your brand and tell others about it.

• Create a space for your audience (Slack group, Discord, Twitter/X movement, etc.).

• Feature your customers (highlight their success stories, repost their content, reply to them).

• Have a strong voice. Don’t sound like every other brand. Be fun, be bold, and be something worth following.

A business with a loyal community is stronger than one with just customers.

Death Wish Coffee didn’t win because they made coffee stronger.

They won because they made their brand stronger.

Here’s what they did right:

✅ They sold a feeling, not just a product.
✅ They focused on a small, passionate audience.
✅ They made their brand easy to share.
✅ They built a real community, not just a customer base.

And these lessons work for anyone. Now, here’s the question:

How can YOU make your brand stand out like Death Wish Coffee did?

Where It Fits:

Making It Work For You

You might not be in the coffee business. But if you are building something, Death Wish Coffee has one huge lesson: Be bold.

• If you have a product, don’t just sell it. Sell a feeling.

• If you have a niche, double down. Don’t water it down to everyone.

• If you want word-of-mouth, create something people can’t ignore.

The rules are the same whether you launch a SaaS, a newsletter, or a DTC brand. You don’t need a huge budget. You just need to own your positioning, go all in, and make people care.

That’s how you turn a niche idea into a cult product.

Just like Death Wish Coffee did.

Now, over to you! What’s the boldest thing about your brand?

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-convertin g DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

• Blog: The secret to creating a cult brand

• Book: This is marketing by Seth Godin 

• E-Guide: How to become a cult brand

• YouTube Video: How great leaders inspire action

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