How One Shoot Launched a Bold New Zealand Brand
When New Zealand coffee brand Deadly Sin Coffee Co. approached me, they weren’t after just photos - they wanted presence. A single story, told visually, would become the foundation of their brand.
Why one well-planned visual story gave Deadly Sin Coffee Co. the fuel to dominate online and in real life.
1) The Energy of the Brand
Deadly Sin weren’t aiming to be safe or polished. Their tagline smacks you with “New Zealand’s strongest, smoothest coffee.” The brand voice is punchy, confidently bold, and a little rough around the edges. When you land on their site, you're not cued into serenity - you're told to proceed with caution. That attitude informed every creative decision we made.
2) Planning for Long-Term Impact
This was more than a photo session. It was infrastructure building. I mapped out a plan where every frame, clip, and image would serve multiple purposes: visual consistency across the website, hero reel, merch, and packaging.
- Dynamic product clips powering web banners and promos
- Lifestyle imagery rooted in community and caffeine-fuelled energy
- Behind-the-scenes shots that made the brand feel alive and human
3) The Shoot - Real, Raw, and Ready
We set the scene in a worn industrial space, roasting aromas lingering, concrete textured. The subjects were real supporters and team members, not actors. Tattoos, caps, and coffee-stained hands felt organic.
- Heavy contrast for visual dominance
- Candid laughs and coffee pours to humanise the energy
- Brand imagery integrated in real moments (logo, bags, merch)
That rawness became their visual foundation.
4) Deliverables That Keep Giving
From just one day of shooting, Deadly Sin Coffee walked away with a full library of content. That foundation helped them show up everywhere: from their own website and socials through to features in the NZ Herald and Stuff.
- A looping background video for the website header
- A rich image library blending product-focus and human connection
- Delivered in formats for use across platforms
Every asset was designed to live beyond launch, giving Deadly Sin Coffee reusable fuel for months of marketing without extra shoots.
5) The Dominance Package in Action
This kind of alignment doesn’t just look good online. For Deadly Sin Coffee, it meant their brand story had enough weight to get picked up by outlets like the NZ Herald and Stuff, amplifying their presence far beyond paid ads.
6) If You’re Launching or Refreshing
A well-planned shoot can launch a brand with clarity and confidence. If you’re ready to create that kind of presence, let's start with one story told well - it can fuel your brand for years.
Look at Deadly Sin Coffee: a single shoot gave them the visuals and story to show up with confidence from day one. That same clarity can be the difference between blending in and standing out.