Elevating a hidden hero: The Espresso Jersey
Client: Tenn Outdoors (in-house)
Tenn Outdoors, a UK-based cycling apparel brand, had a technically excellent trail jersey that performed exceptionally well, but the product name, positioning, and messaging failed to communicate what made it special. Despite its unique construction, the “Trail Jersey” blended into a crowded market, gained little media traction, and wasn’t meeting sales expectations.
Espresso Jersey rebrand
My role
The challenge
The existing Trail Jersey had strong performance benefits but no differentiating brand story.
Media outlets had shown minimal interest, citing a lack of standout appeal.
Customers were unaware of the product’s unique construction and technical advantages.
The brand needed a high-impact, low-budget way to lift visibility and sales within a competitive cycling apparel category.
Approach
A deeper technical review revealed the jersey’s most compelling, but completely untold, advantage: the fabric was made with recycled coffee grounds, enhancing wicking and odour control.
Recognising this as the differentiator, I repositioned the product around this unique material story.
Product & Brand Strategy
Rebranded the product as The Espresso Jersey, creating a memorable, emotionally resonant identity.
Developed a cohesive messaging framework emphasising “coffee-powered performance.”
Translated technical features (wicking, odour control) into rider-friendly benefit language.
Defined the tone of voice, playful, energetic, and story-driven, to elevate brand personality.
Marketing & PR Execution
Rewrote product pages, marketing assets, and campaign messaging.
Led PR outreach, positioning the jersey as a standout innovation in cycling apparel.
Delivered targeted media pitches leveraging the product’s unique story.
Coordinated with sales and product teams to ensure consistent messaging across all customer touchpoints.
Key tasks performed
Brand and product repositioning
PR strategy and media outreach
Naming and messaging development
Campaign management
Cross-functional team leadership
Copywriting and editorial development
The outcome
The Espresso Jersey repositioning quickly became one of Tenn Outdoors’ standout product success stories, demonstrating the commercial impact of strategic storytelling.
Impact:
Sales tripled in the first week following the rebrand.
The product sold out within the month.
Media that had previously ignored the jersey now covered it enthusiastically:
“Thanks to its magic bean material…” — Singletrack Magazine
“It’s actually made of coffee…” — Bike Magic
“Tenn Outdoors made us really perk up.” — Bike Magic at Eurobike
The Espresso Jersey became a clear example of how strategic positioning, strong narrative, and targeted PR can turn a quiet performing product into a top seller.