West Cary Group | Coffee Packaging
Brand storytelling · Packaging copy · Product
Brewing an agency story
Our agency created and branded our own coffee blends—and not to toot our own horn, but they slap. Cue in-person meetings, Potbelly sandwiches, and way more coffee-industry knowledge than anyone needs (who knew coffee had tanins?). We landed on Blends 005 and 010, named for the two buildings West Cary Group called home.
The challenge was figuring out how to tell our story on the bags. As sole copywriter, I helped turn two addresses into a storytelling system, using each blend to celebrate a different chapter of the agency: where we'd been and where we were going.
ROLE: Sole copywriter | CLIENT: West Cary Group | ASK: Turn our agency story into two custom coffee blends | WORK: Product naming & packaging copy
The story, in the bag
Two blends, two chapters
I worked directly with our CEO to turn two chapters of West Cary Group’s story into two distinct blends. 005, the lighter roast, looked back at our first office—the humble beginning that hosted late-night meetings with Fortune 50 clients and Richmond city officials.
010, the bolder blend, looked forward. Its copy reflected the agency we'd grown into: ambitious, confident and never afraid of a challenge. Even the bottom of the bag got in on it with one final thought: Grind. Brew. Create.
Now for the backstory
BLEND 005
A coffee reflective of the growth and ambition of our agency.
An homage to the original West Cary Group office in the heart of Richmond, #005 reflects the people and clients who embody the spirit of our organization. 5 West Cary Street is our firm's cradle—where we received our first clients, conceived our first work, and enjoyed our first team. It remains our nucleus, hosting senators and city officials and bearing witness to creativity and leadership.
The bright citrus of the Costa Rican beans and floral vibrancy of Ethiopian Sidamo reflect the high ceilings and natural light of 5W, while the earthy, full-bodied depth of the Java is a reminder of where we started—that we've always been bold, intentional, and daring.
BLEND 010
A coffee that embodies the spirit of our agency.
Named for our beloved second office, #010 is a nod to our 10 West Cary Street home. Historically preserved in its renovation, 10W addressed the need for expansion while still reflective of our work and an extension of our culture. The dominion of our creative team, the potentially haunted late-19th-century building sits just across the street from our original home at 5W, reminding us that we intentionally chose to expand in the community that defined and nurtured us. Embodying the rich history of Monroe Ward and our collaborative ethos in its bones, 10W is a space for coming together.
With a balance of bright Costa Rican notes, dark French roast, and smooth, rich Colombian beans, this is a blend of contradictions: bright and robust, humble and bold. From passionate creative in billboards, videos, and children's books to countless parties at the patio, our memories at 10W are a roadmap for where we're headed.