Kick back and smell the coffee

Thanks to a leaderboard that appeared over my inbox this morning, I've found a lovely example of a brand that understands how they can use digital spaces to build positive associations around their brand without having to bash the consumer over the head with a brand message based on product attributes.

Carte Noire coffee have built this site which features a series of short video clips of 3 well known actors reading passages from a variety of novels, classic and modern, and in so doing encouraging consumers to a) spend time with their site and b) building the association of kicking back and indulging yourself with their brand.

Nice. Full marks for tying in display advertising to deliver drive to site too. I suspect there's probably activity in other media as well.

Right, I'm off for a coffee and to spend some quality time with the not terribly ugly Dan Stevens from The Line of Beauty, whilst he reads me a passage from Middlemarch. Maybe next time I buy coffee it will be Carte Noire.