Oddy Knocky takes on coffee hipsters with Sergeant Walnuts

Sergeant Walnuts has helped conceive and launch new coffee brand, Oddy Knocky.

The Manchester brand was created to be “the antidote to all those cheerless chin-strokey coffee brands trying to pitch themselves exclusively at hard-boiled hipsters” and it was entirely possible to create “exceptional coffee with a big, fat smile on your face.”

“Yes, we’re passionate about the quality of our beans, and we’re fastidious when it comes to roasting them,” explained Matt Whitehead, founder of Oddy Knocky (and owner of Mayhap – a coffee shop in the West of Manchester).

“But we do it whilst having some fun along the way. We wanted our new brand to celebrate independence and self-expression – but with zero compromise on quality. I’d heard great things about Sergeant Walnuts, and after a brief chat, I knew they were the perfect agency to bring our vision to life.”

Manchester creative agency, Sergeant Walnuts was brought in to come up with the name, identity and also design the packaging. 

“The term ‘Oddy Knocky’ may sound familiar to fans of A Clockwork Orange,” said Gary Toal, Creative Director at Sergeant Walnuts. 

“It forms part of Nadsat, the film’s fictional slang, but its true origins actually stem from Russian. In essence, it means to ‘go on one’s own’ or ‘to be independent’ and so, when coupled with ‘coffee’ for a nice touch of alliteration, it was the standout choice after some rigorous, caffeine-fuelled naming exploration.”

It launches with 8 coffee variants, with more to come, which is why the agency needed to consider a packaging architecture system that provided flexibility.

“There was a clear brief to us in terms of what the client wanted the brand to stand for,” added Richard Attwater, MD of Sergeant Walnuts. 

“So, having themes of independence, playfulness and accessibility was always a mandatory. But our job was also to ensure the brand felt premium, and reflected the high-quality beans sourced for all of the Oddy Knocky variants. Finding that right balance was always at the forefront of our minds.”

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