In the 1950’s the tone for a lot of advertising was convenience, everything made life a bit easier for the busy housewife. All those horrible stereotypes that will make you cringe had their heyday then. Coffee was no different but took different paths in the USA and the UK.
Mass production of freeze dried instant coffee came about just after the second world war, an invention to help the war effort. To make a cup of coffee, all you had to do was boil a kettle, “Great coffee, in an instant.”
That message clicked in the UK. Even today, instant coffee accounts for over 75% of coffee bought to drink. In the US it is 10% and in France and Italy, less than 1%.
In the US, Mr. Coffee and Joe DiMaggio took the convenience throne in 1972 until that was taken away by Nespresso.
France and Italy were never bitten by the convenience bug. They went to the café instead.
In fact, from 1911, authorities in Italy enforced a maximum price for coffee for customers who stood at the counter. Sit down and all bets are off. Guaranteed cheap coffee was the sole reason Starbucks didn’t have any branches there until 2018.