Gettin’ It Out The Mudd
We're experiencing an embarrassment of riches when it comes to podcast merchandise. Shirts, hats, totes, mugs, pins, and even boots now proudly carry the logos of our favorite shows. Podcast hosts have been our most regular weekly companions during this socially-isolating pandemic, and the opportunities to show our thanks are increasingly permeating virtually every corner of consumption.
The podcast business model has become fairly standard— a weekly episode, maybe some bonus content behind a paywall, and the typical slew of easily-produced hats, shirts, and totes. With an ever-growing number of entertainers fighting for your closet space, some podcasts have gotten creative by conceptualizing merch around a specific inside joke or a lifestyle products inspired by the hosts’ own practices.
One podcast has broken this well-established mold with an approach to content and branding that is uniquely their own. How Long Gone does three episodes a week, all backed by a couple of short ads. No Patreon, no paywall, no special subscription. About a year and 150 episodes in, they've made podcasting their own yet again with “Mudd,” their branded line of snapchilled, canned coffee.
In collaboration with Tinker and Elemental Beverage, Jason Stewart and Chris Black have created a product that feels more like it came from your local bodega than your favorite podcast. Yet they are unapologetically promoting it under the How Long Gone brand, with promotional events at restaurants in LA and NYC. Make no mistake, this podcast coffee isn’t trying to be anything more serious than the brand that it represents — just an understated, casual approach to the tongue-in-cheek health and wellness focus of the How Long Gone lifestyle.
I was able to snag a six-pack before they sold out. The cost was $30, which seems fair to me— this is a bi-coastal elite podcast after all, and what is more bi-coastal elite than paying extra for very common drinks? The box arrived quickly and safely, and the cans still held a chill upon opening.
Let's talk design. It's neither "minimalist" (boring) nor outlandishly branded. It's clean but whimsical. The relatable office worker pigs graphic grabs attention while the elegant typography elevates it beyond mere cartoon. “How Long Gone” is printed alongside the Snapchilled Coffee trademark, in a way that adds to the design without betraying that I’m drinking podcast coffee. Also printed on the label is a message claiming that the coffee will help you run faster and get through your email inbox and affectionately signed “CB & TJ.” The color palette is comfortable— mostly white with the podcast's trademark green and blue. It wouldn't look out of place in the fridge of a coffee shop where cold brew starts at $5.
I'm far from a coffee expert, and I rarely make cold brew or iced coffee at home, but the coffee is smooth. I usually drink my coffee black and am used to a certain amount of bitterness or at best a strong taste. HLG's coffee is very easy to drink, similar to more established iced coffee brands like Chameleon. That's not to say there's little flavor to it though. The Colombian and Ethiopian tasting notes are traceable to a mellow acidity and a caramel sweetness backed by a nutty or berry-like flavor. I love that they went with a solid, classic choice over trying a zany flavor that would lose its charm. This is something I could easily grab on my way to my fake office job in NYC on a sweltering summer morning.
I am, regretfully, down to my last can of Mudd at the time of writing this. I'm still deciding if and when I'm going to drink it. I really do wish this was available for sale at grocery stores (not just Erewhon), and that's the sign of good merch. HLG's coffee goes beyond a good beverage with a clean design for me. I expect those two qualities from anything Chris and Jason do. As someone who is sadly addicted to podcasts, it is genuinely exciting to see one go beyond the usual merch and distribution methods and build a legitamate brand with good taste behind it— no ironic laziness, just hard work and great connections with interesting people. It will be a boon for the podcasting world if products like these are taken seriously and become the norm.