Creative agency, POSSIBLE Moscow, is helping the Chernyi Cooperative sell its 'Black' coffee through Tor, the anonymous communication network.

The shop operates at cherniyx23pmfane.onion.  Once a purchase is made using Bitcoins and the Qiwi payment system, buyers receive coordinates as to the whereabouts of their stash.   

Artem Temirov, co-owner, Black Cooperative, says: “There is a generally held perception in Russia, that coffee is harmful and shouldn’t be consumed on a daily basis.  We love flipping stereotypes upside down and decided to confront this stereotype about coffee being a drug with the stereotype about Tor as a platform that exists solely for drug trafficking.  There is science, there is medicine, there is a clear understanding of what addiction and drugs are.  Finally, we have a reason to declare that our much-loved coffee brand is not an addictive drug.”

Maxim Fedorov, social media director, POSSIBLE adds: “Taking the 'Black' audience specifics into consideration, we faced a difficult challenge: to attract the attention of trendsetters who already have access to plenty of interesting content. That is why we chose Tor.  The target audience of 'Black' is familiar with anonymous marketplaces.  They know how the purchase process is organized and are aware of the subtleties in attaining what they desire.”

Initial promotional postings on Facebook targeted a demographic linked to the notorious and now defunct Solyanka club, with a video showcasing real characters from the Russian capital's underworld.  This targeting was also supplemented with the domain name being flyered in popular nightlife venues throughout Moscow.

Please note: You need to install Tor onto your computer in order to view the website.