Abstract | Abstract
The article addresses authenticity and aestheticization in a context of coffee culture and branding. Coffee culture exemplifies an area with an increased focus on authenticity. Knowledge about origin, cultivation methods, processing, and type of coffee have become important dimensions in evaluating the authentic coffee experience and taste of coffee. At the same time, coffee brands strive to present unique and authentic coffee identities. Based on a textual/aesthetic analysis of a sample of images on Nespresso’s Danish website, the article examines the role of aestheticization in branding coffee as authentic. The article demonstrates the social semiotic concept of modality as a perspective to understand the ways in which authenticity and aestheticization are connected.