Maxwell next?

Lois Beckett, "Perky Maxwell House viral ad takes on housing crisis as ‘Maxwell Apartment’", The Guardian 10/1/2025:

Housing in the US has become so unaffordable that a coffee company has based a viral marketing campaign on the idea that almost nobody can afford to buy a house.

Maxwell House coffee, a 133-year-old brand, recently launched a marketing campaign rebranding themselves as “Maxwell Apartment coffee”.

“Maxwell House? In this economy?” a narrator asks in a video ad, promising that Maxwell Apartment is “the same affordable coffee you love, now with an even more affordable name”.

The ad's audio:

Your browser does not support the audio element.

You can see the video here. And a link to the press release, which offers a 12-month coffee lease:

Beginning on National Coffee Day (Sept. 29), Maxwell House’s 12-month “lease” offer of Maxwell Apartment coffee is available on Amazon.com, while supplies last. For under \$40, fans can stock their pantry with a full year of coffee – designed to save coffee enthusiasts more than \$1,000 annually, compared to daily café runs,2 which on average can add up to more than \$90 per month. Along with the rebranded canisters, the year-long supply of coffee will come with an official Maxwell Apartment “lease” to sign.

…that quickly sold out.

The name "Maxwell House" originated with a fancy hotel in Nashville, suggesting other down-market lodging choices as possible next steps. Among the many (mostly negative) comments, this was my favorite:

Maxwell Apartment? How about Maxwell Mom's Basement?

— Scrappy Sue (@scrappy_momma) October 1, 2025