I authored my indie novel (indie sounds cooler than self-published) Canon I: The Definitive History of the Barista Choice Society in 2017. I republished it in its current form in 2020. To the handful of you who have read it, I desperately owe you the second installment, but that is not what this post is about. In this post, I want to talk a little bit about where the idea came from and how it relates to Creative Marketing Solutions.

How The need for Creative Marketing Solutions Turned Into a Novel

Anchor Coffee Co used to be located in the basement of a building on 9th Street that opened to a parking lot on D. Street. Google Maps struggled to understand that concept despite the best efforts of the Anchor team and patrons alike. There was a relatively small but devoted following of regulars as the brand and company grew from just roasting coffee to a community cafe and gathering place.

Anchor Coffee Company North Wilkesboro, NC — Greg Brady | Owner

Owner Greg Brady roasting coffee at the old location of Anchor Coffee Company in North Wilkesboro, NC.

Combining the idea of a Loyalty Program with a cult

I was invited to consult on ideas for a “loyalty program” that would be a twist on the traditional “punch card.” Like any other loyalty program, one of the primary goals was to turn casual customers into followers. However, we wanted to do something different that would help create super fans, resourcing them to become promoters. After much brainstorming, the Barista Choice Society was born. It is important to note here that our official position is that the Barista Choice Society doesn’t exist, but if it did exist, it is a very real, not at all made-up secret society of brave individuals protecting the interests of specialty coffee throughout the world. You can find more about the Barista Choice Society here.

The Barista Choice Society required lore to be written (or discovered). We originally mapped out several short stories called cycles (here’s a link to the first Cycle). Chasity, a local artist, created the beautiful artwork, and you’ll see it if you click that link. It depicts the headquarters of the Casa Robusta Company (CRC), the antagonist of our story. By participating in the Barista Choice Society, customers were not just getting some free bonus Anchor swag; they were participating in a revolution against bad, cheap, and oppressively resourced coffee. Poetically, it’s true that buying coffee from specialty roasters who source coffee ethically allows you to revolt against bad coffee and unethical sourcing practices.

Anchor Coffee Co

Here’s a picture I took of the current North Wilkesboro location of Anchor Coffe Company.

We began releasing the history of the Barista Choice Society in the form of episodic short stories. We published these stories on Anchor’s blog and promoted them on social media. As I continued to pen the words of the lore we developed (or discovered), I realized I was actually, essentially, writing a novel. A marketing campaign turned into a novel that has been mutually beneficial for Anchor and Buffaloe Marketing. To clarify, the book itself is not a marketing piece. It is a novel and the first installment of a series of books that exist in my brain and will soon be on paper - I promise.

What we discovered is that honest, thoughtful marketing can be art, and art can be used for honest, thoughtful marketing. I believe in Anchor and specialty coffee in general. Anchor’s team believed in my storytelling ability. Together, we created something fun and beautiful that has been enjoyed by many!

Creative Marketing Solutions for Your Business

Canon I was born organically out of a creative marketing solution. It proved to me that marketing is not a one-size-fits-all process. Promoting your business involves, at minimum, having a website, blog, SEO plan, social media strategy, etc. You should have and use these to get your story in front of your audience. The way you use these assets, however, does not have to mirror everyone else. If your marketing looks the same as all other marketing, what are you really marketing? Sometimes, creative marketing solutions for your business can become products you can sell.

Get Creative With Your Marketing

Here are some floors and ceilings for creative marketing solutions:

Podcasts: Turn in-house banter into marketable material.

Floor: You develop a small audience and get the word out about your business with evergreen content.
Ceiling: Your podcast goes viral and becomes something you can monetize.

YouTube Tutorials: Teach people how to use your products or make the most of your services.

Floor: You develop a small audience and get the word out about your business with evergreen content.
Ceiling: Your videos go viral and become something you can monetize.

Comic Books/Graphic Novels: Your business is a hero to someone. You solve pain points and improve lives. Create a character that represents your brand in comic book form.

Floor: You continue to get your story out while creating art and words to use on your website and social channels. The comic itself can be a sellable product.

Ceiling: Your comic book goes viral.

Biography: Does the founder of your company have an interesting story that you would read in book form?

Floor: You develop copious amounts of copy that can be converted into blogs, social media posts, videos, etc.
Ceiling: You have a product that could go viral in book form or pique the interest of journalists, podcasters, etc.

These are just four examples, but the possibilities are endless. In most cases of creative marketing solutions, at worst, you end up with quality marketing materials, and at best, you can go viral and/or develop profitable products.

If you would like help brainstorming and developing creative marketing solutions, from websites and social media to comic books and podcasts, Buffaloe Marketing is here for you .