The Nest brews Russian coffee job

The Nest has been appointed to act as brand strategist for Russian coffee brand Ambassador, as part of the company’s move to increase market share in its rapidly growing eastern European market.

The consultancy has been asked to deliver a brand audit, brand strategy and communications strategy in a project initially worth in the region of £40 000 in design fees, says The Nest managing director Rupert Staines.

The Nest also hopes to be appointed as long-term brand guardian as well as asked to implement the strategy, Staines adds. This would ‘significantly increase’ the value of the project.

Ambassador, which is owned by Swiss coffee trader Sucafina, is Russia’s fourth largest coffee brand and Sucafina’s first foray into consumer-facing brands.

It competes with multinationals such as Nestlé for market share of Russia’s rapidly growing middle-class.

Staines says the company is hoping to drive incremental growth by diversifying into this more premium segment, but it currently suffers from ‘confused and muddled’ positioning.

‘We’re looking to create a point of difference for the brand and to display the energetic creativity the new Russia is all about,’ he says.

The brand’s ‘dated’ and confused look is making it difficult for the company to attack the premium market, says The Nest senior designer Tamsin Loxley.

‘The brand isn’t working as hard as it should be. The colour palette, print quality and jar shape aren’t sending a premium message,’ she says. ‘We’ll be looking at all of those elements to create a brand with more passion.’

The consultancy was appointed in June following a three-way pitch against Identica and an unnamed Russian consultancy.