Responding to the intense isolation of academic life, particularly for international students trying to make friends, Expresso Minds was created in partnership with Mind, a mental health charity. The campaign strategically borrows and adapts Mind’s brand palette, using everyday coffee culture as an emotional bridge to create low-pressure, familiar spaces.

Deliberately avoiding clinical cues, the design prioritises warmth through soft illustrations, relatable language, and a steam-inspired cloud mascot. The logo, a coffee pot releasing steam, cleverly symbolises the release of mental pressure.

The accompanying app features conversation-led flows that mirror how students naturally communicate, lowering the barrier to reaching out. Amplified across campus cafés via interactive touchpoints students actually respond to, including bingo card, ad-shell posters, commonly used merch, AR filters, and student-led videos, the project leverages peer presence to seamlessly weave mental health support and genuine connection into daily student routines.