I have seen the following “image” in many ads over the years:
A woman sits, in her bathrobe, looking off in the distance with a wistful smile, holding a coffee cup with both hands.
BTW, the ads usually have nothing to do with coffee.
My question is, what is it with this image that makes it so pervasive in television advertising?
It’s likely the most comfortable part of the day for many people.
Not a bad thing to reference in a commercial.
The woman is alone. No husband, kids, boss, mother-in-law, etc. etc. is vying for her time and attention. She is relaxed. She has time to herself.
I think that this is a common fantasy for many an overworked woman.
You can show images of other supposed “fantasies” of women on commercials, but for a lot of women, a few minutes alone to relax with a cup of coffee is what they are desperately wishing for at any given moment.
Another coffee-related cliche is the cup of coffee next to a computer, or on an office desk.
A coffee cup next to a computer is a cliche?
quickly removing cup from next to her computer
You saw nothing. No, there was no mug. No, I don’t drink coffee at my computer. 
I know lots of moms who purposely get up before the rest of the family, grab their coffee and sit alone for a while. It’s an image of peacefulness to moms.