In the modern world, particularly in large cities, a growing lack of trust and heightened awareness of potential threats such as scams and violence have made people more withdrawn and less willing to engage with strangers. Despite these challenges, several initiatives and tools have emerged to foster human connection and rebuild social trust. One such initiative that stands out is an experiential marketing campaign by Nescafé in Germany. In 2015, Nescafé installed temporary coffee vending machines in Berlin that encouraged interaction among strangers. These machines were not permanent fixtures across German roads but were part of a short-term campaign designed to promote social connection through shared experiences.

Nescafé, the world’s most popular coffee brand owned by Nestlé, has a legacy dating back to 1938. In 2015, Nestlé launched REDvolution, a global marketing campaign aimed at rejuvenating the Nescafé brand. The initiative sought to unify global branding, modernize the brand’s image to appeal to younger consumers, and strengthen its competitiveness against fresh coffee chains such as Starbucks. Central to the campaign was the introduction of new products and formats, including Dolce Gusto coffee machines, alongside the adoption of the slogan “It all starts with a Nescafé.” REDvolution standardized Nescafé’s visual identity worldwide, increased its focus on digital and social media engagement, and positioned the brand as contemporary and socially relevant. Through innovation and consistent branding, the campaign aimed to ensure that Nescafé’s instant coffee remained relevant within an evolving global coffee culture.

Nescafé installed two coffee vending machines at opposite sides of a busy pedestrian crossing. Each machine had a button with the message “Push Together”. To receive a free cup of coffee, two strangers one on each side of the street had to press the button simultaneously. When they succeeded:

• Both machines dispensed a free coffee
• A video screen activated, allowing the two participants to see, smile, wave, and interact with each other in real time
• The moment transformed an ordinary street crossing into a shared social experience

The marketing objectives were to humanize the brand by associating it with warmth and connection. Reinforce Nescafé’s brand promise: coffee starts conversations, create emotional engagement, not just product awareness, generate shareable content for social media and PR coverage.

The campaign was built around the insight that modern urban life discourages spontaneous human interaction, even though people crave connection. Nescafé positioned itself as the catalyst that brings people together even strangers.

The goal of the act was to encourage spontaneous social interactions among strangers in a city that Nescafé’s research suggested was one of the world’s “loneliest”. The campaign was successful in its intent, reportedly leading to numerous waves, smiles, high fives, and conversations, but the special machines were specific to this temporary campaign and not a common feature of German roads.

Nescafé’s Instant Connections campaign, that shows strangers in Berlin how they can connect over a cup of coffee, has received over a million views on Facebook and more than 85,000 on YouTube. Hidden cameras filmed commuters on either side of a busy road, each pressing what looked like a regular pedestrian crossing button – except that the buttons were labelled ‘push together’.

When two people figured out they had to press the button at the same time, they were both rewarded with a cup of Nescafé that was delivered automatically by vending machines camouflaged beneath the pedestrian crossing button. In one day, the campaign has helped over 600 people connect over Nescafé coffee.

“We are delighted to have triggered so many spontaneous social interactions that otherwise would not have happened. A great cup of Nescafé is a natural way to start real connections, and we wanted to bring this to life in an unexpected, innovative, and enjoyable way,” said Michael Chrisment, Global Head of Integrated Marketing for Nescafé.

This approach clearly reflects Nescafé’s reinvigorated REDvolution strategy, which aims to unify product innovation and brand communication across more than 180 global markets. By emphasizing human connection, shared experiences, and contemporary consumer engagement, the campaign demonstrates how Nescafé translates its global brand promise “It all starts with a Nescafé” into meaningful, real-world interactions.