Insomnia were losing ground to international chains in increasingly crowded market. Brand confusion was rife – consumers mistaking Insomnia for Costa, and the majority didn’t know Insomnia was Irish-owned. The brand needed to differentiate from global competitors and re-establish itself as a vital social hub for Irish communities with a personality and warmth that international chains couldn’t replicate.
Insomnia Coffee
The opportunity was to own what competitors couldn’t copy: genuine Irish warmth, heritage, and community connection. Become a “hub of Irish happiness”, a welcoming place where people naturally gather. The brand assets needed modernisation and distance from competitors, plus clear signalling of Irish ownership to cut through consumer confusion.
We evolved the logo with clinking cups symbolising a genuine Irish welcome, adding movement and joy to the iconic cup and wings, tweaking the brand red to be more ownable, with yellow accents bringing sunshine and joy.
We developed a new strapline “Grounded in Ireland” to signal heritage and Irish ownership.
With colloquial Irish messaging, bespoke kinetic typography and playful illustrations, we created a vibrant, personality-packed brand world across campaigns, packaging, uniforms, signage and in-store experiences. For the takeaway cups, we developed a unique Irish naming convention and showcased the GAA partnership.
“True Story worked with us to evolve our brand for the next stage of growth – bringing fresh thinking while staying true to our Irish personality. They helped us dial up our personality, modernise the brand, and approached every touchpoint of the customer journey with creativity and care. It was an exciting, collaborative process that delivered thoughtful and effective solutions.”
Fiona O’Doherty
Head of Marketing, Insomnia Coffee
We successfully repositioned Insomnia as authentically Irish with clear differentiation from international competitors any resolving brand confusion. The “hub of Irish happiness” positioning has resonated with communities, and strengthened brand loyalty. The flexible brand system delivered consistency across diverse storefronts while allowing personality to shine through.
