The dark web is notorious for clandestine and nefarious goods and services. So why is a specialty coffee company marketing and selling its dark roast here? Cooperative Cherniy decided to play off the Russian perception that coffee is bad for the health and associate the product with the dark web culture. Through banner ads on dark web forums, the “first legal product advertised on the darknet” reached 10,000 people within the first hour and 1.5 million in the first day.
Why is a speciality coffee company marketing and selling its dark roast on the dark web? Playing off the Russian perception that coffee is bad for the health, Chernyi decided associate to their product with the dark web culture and become the “first legal product advertised on the darknet.”