Branding and identity: Paixão

Project brief

Focused on branding and strategy development, this project aims to create a strong, cohesive, visual identity for a platform or institution. Brand strategies must be developed to guide the design process. The visual identity guide should contain enough information so that it can be handed over to any designer to work on the brand - it must include all the necessary visual assets and the tone of the brand in order to capture the essence of the brand successfully.

Project deliverables

01. Research

02. Brand Style Guide.

03. Visual Assets:

- Business cards

- Email signature

- Printed collateral

- Social collateral

- Merchandise

- Signage and spatial design

- One-pager website

Design strategy

Paixão is an authentic Brazilian coffee cafe situated in the heart of São Paulo. The branding and identity I have created embodies the unique Brazilian culture. The brand is aimed at young, contemporary individuals who want to indulge themselves in new cultures and traditions. The green which is used as the primary colour promotes harmony and growth, it allows everyone to feel welcome. The patterning mimics traditional Brazilian tiles which are found all over the vibrant city's streets.

Improvements

The original identity which I created sold the Brazilian coffee lifestyle, but it was too mundane when taking the target market into account. In this new version I have revisited the drawing board on a number of things; the colour palette, patterning, coffee packaging, email signatures and business cards.

Changing the colour palette to be brighter, bolder, and fresher has made the biggest difference. The identity now stands out and aligns more with the enthusiastic individual eager to indulge in the Brazilian culture and coffee traditions. By simplifying the patterning and using geometric shapes, the brand is brought into a more contemporary light. I have kept some of the old patterning but have limited it to the floral and coffee beans only. The grain which was featured in the original started distorting elements and did not add to the value of the identity, so I have excluded it completely. I have used the new colours and patterning and applied it to coffee cups and coffee bags. The coffee bags are now in line with competitors and embodies the traditional Brazilian culture.

The stamp

The clearspace immediately surrounding the logotype is to stay clear of any text or graphics. It is equivillent to the x-height of the letter ‘a’. The clearspace is intended to maximise visibility and allows the design to shine in the best light possible.

Example of how secondary logo is used as signage.

Blended hues

The colours of the brand aim to promote harmony and growth. This is symbolic of the culture and lifestyle of both the people of the country as well as the coffee culture. The Dark Roast and Green Berry hues act as primary colours while Latte acts as a secondary colour. Latte should never be the dominant colour of a design.

The right type

Poppins, a geometric sans serif typeface, contributes to the clean look and feel of the brand. Although very structured, the rounded curves provide a wholesome feel and is almost monolinear. Poppins is a web safe font which allows it to be used for both print and screen.

Authentic azulejo

Patterning, inspired by traditional Brazilian Portuguese tiling, may be used on various design collateral. Organic forms used alongside structured shapes create the balance between casual and professional.