The power of perception: what a Times Square billboard can teach your coffee business

In 1985, a completely unknown American fashion designer pulled off one of the boldest stunts in modern marketing history. He didn’t do it by creating a revolutionary garment. He didn’t have an iconic runway moment. He didn’t even have a real brand yet.

He had a billboard.

The man was Tommy Hilfiger. And his name was about to be written next to Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, and Calvin Klein in the most literal way possible—on a giant ad in the middle of Times Square. The message was simple, audacious, and brilliantly manipulative:

The 4 Great American Designers for Men:

R____ L_____

C____ K_____

P____ E_____

T____ H_____

Only three of those designers were household names. The fourth? No one had ever heard of him. Yet there he was, tucked into a Mount Rushmore of American menswear. As if he belonged.

That was the point.

The billboard was the brainchild of George Lois, a renegade advertising legend who understood something most brands still don’t: perception isn’t just part of the game. It is the game.

This isn’t an article about fashion. That would be the last thing I could write about with authority. I wear the same outfit every day: black golfer, jeans, and Onitsuka Tigers. No logo, no statement, no tailoring. I am, sartorially speaking, the opposite of a billboard.

This is an article about marketing. About understanding how perception is created, and how—if you’re not shaping it—someone else is doing it for you.

And if you run a coffee business, you need to read this carefully. Because perception is quietly deciding how much people are willing to pay, how often they come back, and whether they tell anyone else about you.

Let’s break it down.

What really happened on that billboard

Let’s linger on the details of the Hilfiger stunt a little longer, because they’re not just good—they’re instructive.

Tommy was a nobody. Fresh out of upstate New York with a few failed ventures under his belt. He had ambition, taste, and a name that sounded like it belonged on a yacht. But no credibility. No market share. No fame.

So George Lois gave him a shortcut. Not by lying. But by framing.

He didn’t claim Tommy was as good as Ralph or Calvin. He simply placed him next to them. He let people make the connection. That’s perception engineering at its cleanest. It wasn’t deception. It was suggestion.

And it worked. The billboard went up. The fashion press went wild. Bloomingdale’s started calling. Consumers started asking. Suddenly, people didn’t just know Tommy Hilfiger—they assumed he was a big deal.

And eventually, he became one.

Why coffee isn’t that different

Now, let’s talk about coffee.

Specialty coffee likes to imagine that it’s immune to these kinds of tactics. That quality will rise on its own. That transparency and terroir are all you need. But the truth is, coffee is one of the most perception-sensitive categories in the world.

You can’t taste a cappuccino through a screen. You don’t know the barista’s skill level until you commit. The coffee could be brilliant—but if the café looks sloppy, or the packaging feels amateur, or the pricing isn’t framed correctly—none of it matters.

Perception tells the story before the product ever gets a chance.

Here’s what that means for your business:

Your customers are reading cues you don’t even see

Think of a first-time customer walking into your café. Before they take a sip of anything, they’ve already made a dozen decisions:

• Is this place expensive?
• Is it for people like me?
• Is the coffee any good?
• Is it a place I’d bring a friend?
• Can I trust the cleanliness of the cups?

Those decisions are based on subconscious cues:

Your menu design. The music. The smell. The uniforms. The way a barista greets them. Even the fonts you used.

That’s perception.

And perception is the frame through which your product gets experienced.

A great pourover served in a scratched, stained mug doesn’t taste like a great pourover. It tastes like a disappointment.

An average espresso served in a weighty, clean, double-walled glass, described confidently by a knowledgeable barista? That tastes premium.

You don’t have to fake it. You just have to frame it.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a call to overpromise. We’re not suggesting you call your house blend a “nano-lot heirloom microlot” just because you can. That’s the coffee equivalent of slapping a fake Rolex on your wrist and hoping no one looks too closely.

What we’re talking about is framing what you already are in the best possible light.

If you’re proud of your sourcing—tell that story in a way that’s accessible, not academic.

If your team is highly trained—let your service reflect that, even before a word is spoken.

If your interiors are minimalist—lean into that as a statement of purpose, not an absence of funds.

This isn’t faking. It’s shaping.

Practical ways to influence perception (without changing your coffee)

Here are some low-cost, high-impact ways to shift perception in your favor:

1. Elevate your language

Stop calling it “Regular Coffee.” Start calling it “Our Seasonal House Filter.”

Don’t say “We have almond milk.” Say “We use premium almond milk from [local supplier name].”

Small changes. Big impact.

2. Menu design matters

A well-designed menu instantly communicates professionalism.

Use hierarchy: Place your signature drinks or high-margin items first.

Avoid clutter. Keep pricing clean. Show restraint with descriptions.

3. Photograph like you mean it

Invest in five killer photos. Not fifteen average ones.

Make sure they’re consistent in lighting, tone, and mood.

Use them everywhere: Google Maps, Instagram, your own website. People often decide whether to visit you based solely on visuals.

4. Uniforms (or Uniformity)

You don’t need a dress code. But you do need a look.

Whether that’s aprons, all-black, vintage band tees, or just clean and tidy—consistency is credibility.

5. Name with intention

Your blend names, drink titles, and even your café name shape perception.

Would you rather try “Blend 1” or “Cloudburst No. 3”?

Would you rather drink a “Cold Brew” or an “Overnight Infusion”?

6. Create signals of quality

Use glass over plastic or where possible.

Have a visible grinder or scale—signals that you measure and care.

List your origin or roast date on your retail bags, even if few ask.

The Hilfiger lesson for coffee

What Tommy Hilfiger did wasn’t about ego. It was about claiming a space—in the minds of customers, in the landscape of American fashion. That’s exactly what your café, roastery, or coffee cart needs to do.

Most coffee businesses start by focusing on the product. That’s great. But then they stop. They wait for customers to catch up. They assume quality speaks for itself.

But it rarely does.

Great coffee is expected. Great perception is engineered.

And the ones who do it best aren’t dishonest. They’re just bold.

A challenge to coffee owners

So here’s your billboard moment.

Imagine a list of four café brands in your city. The ones people see as the leaders. The ones who charge the most, or get the most buzz, or host the best events.

Now add your name as the fourth.

Do you believe it? Do your customers?

If not, what would need to change—not in your product, but in your presentation—for it to feel plausible?

That’s your job. Not to fake it. But to frame it so well that people start to see what you already know is true.