The advertising world is full of sports tropes right now, but Uncommon New York and director, Leigh Powis, have taken coffee brand, La Colombe, on a different path. Its campaign, leads with a film, shot entirely in the brand’s home base, Philadelphia, that leans into richly observed, hyper-local storytelling–creating a portrait of a city whose belief never wavers, even when the odds are stacked against it.

Must Be the Coffee, La Colombe’s new brand platform, captures the unmistakable energy, optimism, and grit of the city’s sports culture.

Every person featured was cast to play a version of themselves in real life. The youth soccer players are members of Salone FC, a local team supported by La Colombe. The women featured throughout the film include Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders, while the café scenes are populated by actual La Colombe baristas. The production also photographed a SEPTA driver with more than 25 years on the job. One particularly memorable moment came from two South Philadelphia women featured in the film who grew up less than ten minutes from the shoot location and spent decades moving through the same neighbourhood circles, yet met for the first time on set.

The result is a documentary-style snapshot of a community – one that reflects the same passion, loyalty, and belief that will fuel soccer fandom and support for Team USA during this World Cup.

The national campaign kicked off on Friday June 12, coinciding with the USMNT’s first match of the World Cup. With a late at 9pm EST kickoff, it was an opportunity for a coffee brand to interact with fans at night.

Beyond the film, Must Be the Coffee extends into a series of fan-focused experiences designed to fuel support for the USMNT throughout the World Cup – limited-edition US Soccer packaging and national media and partnerships, free Americanos for fans wearing US Soccer gear on matchdays – turning coffee into part of the matchday ritual.