De’Longhi’s digital guide to coffee machines

From bean to cup: a digital experience

The world of coffee is rich and diverse, which means it can be easy for new consumers to get lost when they embark on a coffee-drinking journey for the first time. To make it easier to navigate the different types of brewing, beans and coffee machines, De’Longhi has created a digital guide called “Bean to Cup”. With its help, coffee lovers around the world are able to learn how to make and enjoy barista-style coffee from the comfort of their own homes.

How to make coffee at home like a barista

Italian manufacturer De’Longhi has transformed the lives of millions of foodies worldwide. Since it was established in 1974, the brand has produced innovative products that combine style and performance. Because of the quality of its products, De’Longhi is especially valued among baristas and restaurateurs.

That being said, the Italian manufacturer’s portfolio is extensive and also includes consumer products. Its range includes Bean to Cup coffee machines for domestic use, which are designed to make the perfect espresso or cappuccino, just like in an authentic Italian restaurant.

Even though an extensive and detailed product catalogue was available on the brand’s website, De’Longhi was looking for a more advanced solution: our client wanted to educate and share knowledge in an engaging, effortless and fun way. Hard-to-digest product descriptions, filled with technical terms needed to make way for an intuitive, eye-catching and entertaining digital experience.

Coffee for beginners – the main challenges

For those who are about to embark on their own coffee-making adventure, brewing the perfect beverage can seem like a challenge. Consumers are often intimidated by the variety that is available to them: not only is it hard to choose the right machine, but it can also be challenging to work out how to use its extensive features or to get the brewing process right.

For De’Longhi, drinking coffee at home should provide as much pleasure as it would in a good restaurant! De’Longhi therefore gave Rhapsody the task of showing consumers the advantages of having a professional coffee machine in your own kitchen. We did not want to present the Italian espresso machines as a luxury good; instead, we wanted to present it as an everyday product that makes life easier and delivers an extraordinary taste experience.

The brand’s image was a crucial aspect: we wanted to preserve its reputation as a trustworthy, undisputed coffee authority by creating a guide that highlights the best possible solution for consumers as they embark on an extraordinary coffee journey.

A digital platform that makes brewing coffee simple (even for beginners)

A digital hub was the ideal solution for the Italian manufacturer: it was a means to present the rich world of coffee and De’Longhi’s product range in a versatile, yet intuitive way. The platform was designed to educate, facilitate the decision-making process and demonstrate that anyone can make coffee to a professional standard.

Consumers’ lack of professional brewing skills became the starting point for developing a comprehensive UX/UI strategy. This approach would allow Rhapsody to design a website that responded to the real needs and concerns of the audience.

We focused on:

• Guiding the consumer on the right purchase path
• Showing the extensive possibilities offered by the De’Longhi coffee machines
• Demonstrating the intuitive coffee brewing process

A complete guide to coffee machines

Rhapsody created an intuitive UX that presented the portfolio in a way that was easy to read thanks to short descriptions and simple iconography. A user was able to compare machines and find one best suited to their requirements and skill level. In this way, we were able to provide a more comprehensible and accessible overview of De’Longhi’s extensive product portfolio.

Coffee recipes to suit a range of tastes and expectations

In order to provide consumers with a more complete and tailored experience, we also included different coffee brewing methods and rituals. The website featured popular coffee recipes, including ones for coffee-based cocktails. We designed the website in such a way that the user could easily browse the recipes and find ones that appealed to them the most.

By inviting consumers to take part in an interactive experience, we set out to reveal a world of aromas and flavours that would encourage a love for coffee from the very first bean.

Brewing rituals and grinding the coffee

Coffee enthusiasts are often unsure about how to go about preparing and brewing their favourite beverage. Questions such as “How to press french coffee?”, “How to use an espresso maker?” or “How to use filters properly?” come up on a regular basis. De’Longhi wanted to help people with these common queries so Rhapsody set about finding a solution.

The communication approach was based around a simple message: De’Longhi has a solution for anyone wishing to drink barista-style coffee at home. The brand will allow its customers to experience coffee on a new level.

Reviews from satisfied customers

It’s a well-known fact that consumers are heavily influenced by product recommendations. Since coffee drinkers speak highly of De’Longhi, we therefore felt it was important to include reviews on the website. When designing the site, we incorporated verified reviews from Reevoo as well as key customer satisfaction figures. In doing so, we helped to reassure the target customer that the brand’s coffee machines are not only good to start out with, but that they will also last for many years to come.

The De’Longhi coffee guide – a dynamic campaign that delivered

A well-thought-out UX and UI based was paired with appealing graphics and convincing copywriting (Rhapsody partnered with Total Media for this project) to meet the needs of consumers and provide an answer to their problems.

From a design perspective, De’Longhi wanted to build a platform that was user-friendly and accessible to everyone. The goal was to engage the audience and show that the Italian brand caters to every coffee lover and that, regardless of an individual’s level of expertise, they can afford and deserve a top-of-the-range coffee machine.

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