Caribou Coffee, the second-largest coffee chain in the United States, wanted to better communicate the soul of their brand through their tagline “Life is short. Stay awake for it.”

In addition to redesigning the logo, we brought new meaning to their tagline with “Bou-isms”—handwritten expressions that represent what is important to the company, its staff and its customers. Each cup contains a different set of expressions that focus on things to stay awake for—from “Max out your passport” to “Build communities, not empires.”

As a part of the rebranding launch, the Caribou Coffee brand book was sent to the press to articulate the company’s story. The story garnered a spotlight article in Fast Company magazine and has been the discussion topic on thousands of blogs. Just as important, the brand book has been well received by employees of Caribou, including the original founders.