Death Wish Coffee Launches ‘Performance Enhancing Coffee’ by Anonymously Sponsoring College Athletes

Today, Death Wish Coffee marked its first national campaign by penning the world’s first anonymous NIL deal. Why? Because the NCAA has deemed more than three cups of Death Wish Coffee to be ‘performance enhancing’ before athletic competition. 

With the ruling implying that 500 milligrams of caffeine (or 3+ cups of Death Wish Coffee) two to three hours before a competition can give an athlete an ‘unfair advantage,’ Death Wish Coffee has launched Performance Enhancing Coffee.

So in honour of those who get out there and live life to the fullest every day, on and off the field, the coffee company has decided to poke a little fun with a serious rule by anonymously sponsoring a group that embodies this spirit through and through – college athletes. Performance Enhancing Coffee is a first taste of Death Wish Coffee’s larger brand platform ‘Live With a Death Wish,’ which aims to serve as a call to action for people to get out and live as boldly as Death Wish Coffee tastes.

The campaign comes to life through a hero film, digital, and social assets and features 3 sponsored football players from Ohio State, University of Michigan, and Penn State. But to ensure these athletes don’t get suspended for overindulging on its coffee before competition,Death Wish Coffee has signed them all on anonymously – ironically blurring their names, images, and likeness.

“The notion that drinking more than 3 cups of our coffee before athletic performance is technically classified as 'performance enhancing' is both ridiculous and understandable. Those that drink and love Death Wish Coffee know well that our delicious, natural extra kick of caffeine can give you the edge to tackle whatever the day throws at you, even if it's a D1 running back,” said Samantha Siegal, CMO of Death Wish Coffee. “Death Wish Coffee is so proud of our naturally delicious, Fair Trade and Organic certified coffee and the incredibly bold community that has welcomed Death Wish into their daily lives. With this campaign, we hope to invite even more people to live boldly, whatever that means to you.”

"We know sponsoring these athletes might get someone in trouble, so we asked, 'can we sponsor college athletes anonymously?'” said Frank Garcia, group creative director, Mojo Supermarket. "And that's how our constraint became 'Performance Enhancing Coffee, a campaign as bold as Death Wish Coffee itself.’ This (very real) rule could not have given us a better platform to show how drinking Death Wish Coffee makes you feel and what a brand who ‘Lives With a Death Wish’ would do.” 

Anchored in a hero film, Performance Enhancing Coffee features athletes overachieving both on and off the field. From solving complicated math problems to playing the violin to effortlessly scoring a touchdown; the sponsored athletes are doing it all while drinking a cup of Death Wish Coffee, and all with blurred out faces for anonymity, of course. 

Death Wish Coffee and Mojo Supermarket partnered with directing duo MAMA to help amplify the comedic take on this controversial rule by creating cinematic scenes and visuals for the film.

ANONYMOUS ATHLETE 1: “I play football. I know what it means to take risks. But let’s be real, nothing is riskier than messing with the NCAA. But if anyone can pull off a stunt like this it’s gonna be Death Wish. They’re bold af for this one.”

ANONYMOUS ATHLETE 2: “I’ll be honest. I hadn’t tried Death Wish Coffee before this. But with this bold move, I had to see what it’s all about. And man, I get it. This stuff is delicious and gives me the boost I need in my day. But not too much of course *wink wink*.”