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1. CAPTURING THE SENSES

A key storytelling strategy as a whole, is to engage

the listener or reader with as many of their five

senses as possible and to tug at the emotional

appeal (Ridgley, 2012). When it comes to coffee,

Peruvian geographical location and culture offers

much of those techniques in storytelling. Coffee

itself calls to the senses when it comes to smell,

taste, sight, touch, and even sound. How

frequently do the coffee lovers enjoy the scent

stepping into their favorite café, the smooth

surface of a coffee mug, the drip and whir of the

espresso machine, the dark, swirling liquid, and of course Figure 11. Small Coffee farm near La Playa
Sahuayaco, Cusco
the deep, strong taste. Adding to that, there can be an appeal in advertising arabica single-origin coffee as

well. Single-origin beans may pull a more in-depth story behind the bean, previous crops, area of cultivation,

country, culture, technique, and potentially right down to a specific farmer and family. Single-origin coffees

can hold flavors of fruits such as mangos or blueberries, nuts, florals, and even chocolate. The coffee cherries

show in in the figure to the left would likely hold a fruit-flavored taste due to the local lime and banana plants

in the area (Figure 11.) Using the senses already in place when it comes to promoting Peruvian single-origin

coffee, the South American country holds such a strong potential for various emotional appeals as it comes to

topics such as biodiversity, agriculture, sustainability, small farms, education, poverty, etc. Each small farm

and or region holds the potential to a story that can be tasted, seen, and experienced in the hint of blueberry,

lavender, or chocolate that can experienced in the beloved caffeine-filled and steaming beverage.

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