Free coffee brews kindness & connection

17th February 2021 | Eativity editors

New research has revealed that one in three Australians believe kindness is key to helping us feel connected once again, with nearly half having witnessed more random acts of kindness than ever before in their local communities over the last 12 months.

It seems local cafes have been at the centre of these many unifying moments. According to a Campos Coffee Group survey, three in four Aussies are happy to shout someone a coffee “just because”, and more than a quarter have even done so for a total stranger.

To help keep these good feelings brewing, this Random Acts of Kindness Day, Campos cafes around the country will be randomly giving away 70,000 free coffees for Australians to enjoy as a kind treat for themselves or someone else.

Campos Coffee founder Will Young is a big believer that kindness and a daily cup of positivity can help spark meaningful connections: “Over the past 19 years, Campos has grown into one of the most loved coffee brands in Australia, serving over 10 million Aussies a year,” he says. “Our success comes down to the kind support our cafe partners receive from their local communities and the many meaningful connections they forge there.

“Randomly giving away 70,000 free coffees this Random Acts of Kindness Day is not only our Campos way of saying a big thank you, it’s also our ambition to continue fuelling this kindness and connection. Ultimately, our goal is to bring us all back together again after a year that’s felt overwhelmingly disconnected.”

The kind lessons we’ve learned from a year of disconnect

After a tumultuous 2020 and an uncertain start to 2021, it’s no surprise that just under half of all Australians still feel lonelier or starved of connection, and aren’t feeling hopeful about the year to come. Yet, in the spirit of seeing the glass half-full, Aussies are recognising the small and simple acts that have helped them through the past year, which they intend to continue practising to help them navigate 2021. These include:

• Displaying or receiving more kindness and consideration for others (61%)

Taking advantage of opportunities to spend quality time with loved ones (59%)

Being kinder to ourselves (37%)

Coffee at the heart of kindness and connection

More than three quarters of Aussies say witnessing, displaying or being on the receiving end of random acts of kindness has changed their perception of the world. Front and centre of these important life lessons are local coffee shops, with four in 10 Australians visiting more over the last 12 months and half spending more on local businesses.

It’s no wonder a quarter of Australians agree their local coffee shop has helped them stay connected, with half revealing the daily trip helped them through the tough days, and 39 percent saying it provided them with an opportunity to connect with their local community. For some, there were times when their local coffee shop was the only place that provided genuine human interaction and connection.

Visit camposcoffee.com/cafe-finder to find your local Campos cafe as they randomly hand out free cups of positivity this Random Acts of Kindness Day.