The worst thing in the world for a coffee drinker? Waking up in the a.m. and discovering that the cabinet is bare of those precious beans. Despair no more, caffeine addicts—DripJoy has created a new business model that is a surefire fix for this type of slow-drip torture.

The subscription-based coffee delivery service aims to perfect the single-serve experience by delivering pods of fresh, sustainably sourced coffee directly to the customer’s home or business on a monthly basis. Customers choose from seven roasts and customize their subscription plan to fit their unique needs. Most plans come with a free or discounted commercial-grade brewer that's guaranteed as long as one remains a customer.

The Challenge

LRXD’s assignment was to design the coffee packages, pods and corrugated shipping box for DripJoy’s brewing machine. We were also charged with creating the box copy and flavor names, such as French Elation, Colombian Cheer and Morning Joy. The target market for this project was young-adult early adopters and startups and smaller businesses that require convenient coffee without the heavy cost of an office delivery/inventory service.

The creative tone needed to emphasize what’s special about DripJoy’s coffee flavors. The client wanted the design to be “simple, but eye catching” and different from other on-the-go coffee brands. Since the coffee isn’t sold in stores, we could forgo the standard sales copy, and traditional motifs such as leaves, beans and the heavy use of browns or greens were quickly ruled off limits. We wanted the brand design to be iconic, disruptive and portable.

The Goal

DripJoy drinkers are convenience-oriented and routine-based individuals who are attracted to quality, price and customer service. They are digitally savvy and socially conscious, and want to feel like they’re helping the world. A typical sentiment:

“Each morning, I want to have the best cup of fresh coffee that’s available without stepping outside my house or office. I also care about costs and where my beans are coming from. Oh, and I hate having a coffee machine that breaks or is hard to clean—yuck.”

Ultimately, we needed to sell DripJoy subscriptions by building credibility and awareness of this offering, which would generate customer appreciation and loyalty. The goal was to reach a subscription target while staying focused on the simplicity of the coffee + brewer + convenience subscription experience.

DripJoy designed its products and service with this audience in mind. The company partners with farmers in more than six countries and three continents to ensure its coffee is sourced responsibly and sustainably harvested. Its processing mills sort through beans to ensure high-grade quality, and its transport, roasting and packing processes are designed to reduce time and maintain freshness.

Its coffee pods are designed to be compatible with all brewers that use the K-cup®, so DripJoy doesn’t lock certain brands, roasts and flavors out of its machine like other providers.

The DripJoy brewer has a small countertop footprint and brews hotter than most machines on the market (between 176 and 198 F) to enhance the flavor. It’s cleaner because water remains hot inside an enclosed system that minimizes clogging. The unit also contains commercial-grade components, so it is more durable than many residential brewers.

We just needed to bring the brand to life. Without saying too much. Because morning is complicated enough.

The Solution

Our design for DripJoy’s seven product packages matches the happy feeling one gets from always having great coffee within arm’s reach. The colors are light and airy, and the package’s design elements—such as a smiling-face icon created from the letter “y” in “DripJoy”—further the happy-go-lucky brand position.

The white boxes are delineated with color-coded text and panels—turquoise for Morning Joy, gold for Vanilla Jubilee, ruby for French Elation and so on—and minimal copy is delivered in a friendly, Helvetica-type font. The smile icon is also stamped on the color-coordinated pods found within. Panels convey information (flavor, strength, servings) on a need-to-know basis, and directions are divided into three simple steps: Load Joy, Drip Joy and Sip Joy—which can even be comprehended before that first cup of the day.