Whaling City Coffee
This branding project involved the creation of a business that would be situated in New Bedford, MA. I wanted to use the coffee bean as my central concept and the colors associated with coffee beans as my main color scheme. Utilizing the ideas of the whaling city, I decided to illustrate two whales breaching over each other to form the shape of a coffee bean. This was my primary idea with all of the associated branding.
Task
To create an identity for a coffee shop located within the heart of New Bedford, MA.
Idea
Using New Bedford's identity, I would create a brand for a coffee shop revolving around "The Whaling City"
Using the concept of whales, coffee, and other elements, I strategized several different ideas for a logo. Eventually, I reached the idea of a concept revolved around the use of two whales leaping over one another to form a coffee bean. Whales are an iconic piece of New Bedford's history, giving it the name "The Whaling City" and thus I knew I wanted to implement them into the brand identity for this coffee shop.
The color scheme and overall branding utilized earthy tones, around the idea of a coffee bean. I wanted to deliver a welcoming atmosphere associated with the logo and branding, so I opted to use a serif typeface, to compliment my playful motifs. This addresses a broader audience who are looking for great coffee as well as a cozy atmosphere. The initial icon of the whales as a coffee bean would drive a lot of the associated patterns that I use as well.
The icon and wordmark are combined to create a vintage yet refined brand. Whaling City Coffee represents the rich heritage of a maritime city while reflecting a robust and modern café. In addition to the brown color, dark blue and purple are added to support this color. The two represent calm and regality. Supporting icons were illustrated as well, for other various usage within the design: both a harpoon and an anchor, two iconic elements of the maritime and whaling industries. The tagline, “You can’t fathom a better brew,” draws on the maritime references once again, with the word fathom. As a play on words, fathom could mean “to comprehend” or “a unit of measurement for depth underwater.”
As with most coffee shops, different designs for cups are a necessary choice. Additionally, I designed a take-out bag utilizing the brand standards which I established.
