In 2008 Costa was the number two player suffering its lowest brand preference and facing the worst UK recession since the Second World War. Working with Karmarama, Costa invested in brand communications to shake up customer inertia in its category. Over the six-year period covered by this case study, the brand dramatically increased brand preference and sales. To achieve this, Costa used a mixture of strategies, from punchy rational agitation to iconic emotional relevance, becoming the leading coffee shop in revenue and the nation's favourite coffee shop brand six years in a row.