A branding case study for ‘Hidden Perk’ cafe
We will use a hypothetical cafe named ‘Hidden Perk’ throughout this course. It is a modern yet relaxed ‘hole-in-the-wall’ café on a quiet side street near a bustling shopping mall. Specialising in premium coffee, handmade focaccias and baked goods, the café primarily caters to takeaway customers. With just three outdoor tables, it offers a quick yet welcoming stop for coffee lovers on the go. While the café embraces sustainability through eco-friendly packaging and responsible sourcing, its primary focus is on delivering high-quality coffee in a calm but efficient setting.
Here is how the previous questions would be answered for Hidden Perk:
Define Your Brand Identity
- Mission & Values: Hidden Perk stands for high-quality coffee, efficiency, and a moment of calm amid a busy day. It values sustainability but focuses primarily on delivering excellent coffee and service in a sleek yet inviting manner.
- Uniqueness: Unlike traditional sit-down cafés, Hidden Perk offers an upscale yet effortless takeaway experience, blending modern design with a relaxing atmosphere. Coffee and food are ready quickly.
- Customer Experience: A seamless, high-quality coffee experience that feels refined yet accessible.
- Brand Personality: If Hidden Perk were a person, it would be effortlessly stylish, eco-conscious but not preachy, and always prepared with a great coffee recommendation.
Know Your Audience
- Target Audience: Busy professionals, shoppers, and coffee enthusiasts who appreciate quality and aesthetics.
- Customer Preferences: Quick service without sacrificing quality, modern yet relaxed branding, and a subtle nod to sustainability.
- Aligning with Audience Needs: Hidden Perk’s branding ensures a sleek yet welcoming experience that appeals to modern, on-the-go coffee lovers.
Do Competitor Research
- What Competitors Do Well: Many cafés focus on either high-end specialty coffee or cosy café experiences.
- Market Gaps: There is an opportunity for a takeaway-focused café that combines premium coffee with a sleek, modern brand.
- Brand Differentiation: Hidden Perk stands out by offering an elevated, stylish takeaway experience while maintaining a friendly and relaxed tone.
Create Your Visual Identity
- Logo: The final logo features a minimalist takeaway coffee cup icon inside an organic, rounded shape, creating a balance between modernity and warmth. The hand-drawn typography enhances the approachable and relaxed feel.
- Colour Palette: A subdued mint with white or black elements (depending on application) to maintain a clean and contemporary aesthetic, subtly reflecting eco-consciousness.
- Typography: A hand-drawn sans-serif typeface that adds a friendly and modern touch, reinforcing the relaxed yet stylish brand personality.
- Visual Consistency: The brand applies these elements across all touch-points, from signage to takeaway cups, ensuring a cohesive and recognisable identity.
Develop Your Brand Messages
- Brand Story: Hidden Perk was created for those who appreciate the art of coffee but need it on the go. Its modern aesthetic and commitment to quality make it a standout choice for busy coffee lovers. Sustainability and ethics are also at the center of our business decisions.
- Tagline & Mission Statement: “Savour the moment” encourages customers to enjoy high-quality coffee, even in a fast-paced world (or “Fuel your day” to highlight the café’s focus on providing energising, high-quality coffee and snacks for busy customers. It emphasises convenience and modernity).
- Marketing Messages: Emphasises quality, efficiency, and a modern, relaxed aesthetic with a nod to sustainability.
Design Brand Collateral
- Branded Materials: Signage, takeaway cups, food bags/boxes, menu boards, social media graphics, website, and loyalty cards.
- Design Tools: We will use Looka for this example.
- Ensuring Consistency: Consistent use of logo, typography, and colours across all materials.
Build Your Online Presence
- Website & Social Media: A sleek, mobile-friendly website with Instagram and Facebook focusing on aesthetic coffee shots and fast-paced, engaging content. Other social content will reflect the eco-conscious nature of the business.
- Brand Consistency Online: Ensuring the same modern, relaxed tone is reflected in digital content.
- Engagement Strategies: Posting about the coffee and food, behind-the-scenes content, and sustainability highlights.
Deliver the Same Customer Experience
- Ambience & Service: A clean, modern aesthetic with friendly and efficient service.
- Ensuring Consistency: Staff training, streamlined service, and stylish branding across all touch-points.
Ask for Feedback and Iterate
- Collecting Feedback: Customer surveys, social media polls, and in-person feedback.
- Identifying Areas for Improvement: Analysing feedback trends and adjusting branding or services accordingly.
- Refining the Brand: Iterating based on customer insights while maintaining core identity.
Stay Authentic and Evolve
- Balancing Identity & Market Changes: Staying true to the premium yet approachable branding while incorporating new trends.
- Keeping Branding Relevant: Refreshing visuals and messaging periodically while keeping the core elements intact.
- Reviewing Strategy: Biannual brand check-ins to assess alignment with customer expectations and trends.
Branding brief for ‘Hidden Perk’ cafe
Now we have answered those important questions, we can create a brief for ourselves, which will make it easier once we hit the tools. We want a logo that says premium yet approachable that stands out to passers-by.
Key Information
- Key Attributes: Premium, modern, minimalist, with relaxed undertones.
- Target Audience: Shoppers seeking a quick yet enjoyable coffee, local workers, and coffee enthusiasts who appreciate quality and sustainability.
- Requirements: A logo that incorporates subtle coffee-related imagery, a clean and modern colour palette, and fonts that feel professional yet inviting. The logo should work well on signage, takeaway packaging, and social media.
Design Process
- Research and Inspiration
We looked at the branding of local and competing coffee places, plus searched for other cafes that have modern, minimalist aesthetics, and visual cues that balanced modernity with warmth. Our concept will center around creating a clean yet inviting design that conveys quality and efficiency without feeling overly stark. - Concept Development
• Iconography: A minimalist takeaway coffee cup to emphasise the focus on takeaway and make it immediately clear to passersby what the business is. The coffee cup will be placed in an organic, rounded shape, to soften the overall look and make it feel more inviting.
• Typography: A hand-drawn sans-serif typeface that adds a friendly and modern touch, reinforcing the relaxed yet stylish brand personality.
• Colour Palette: A neutral palette of black and white was selected to maintain modernity and flexibility of use. An accent of muted mint green was introduced to subtly nod to the café’s eco-conscious approach. - Slogan Development
The slogan “Savour the Moment” was created to highlight the café’s focus on providing high-quality, thoughtfully made coffee that enhances everyday moments. It conveys a sense of enjoyment and mindfulness, reinforcing the relaxed yet modern identity. (or The slogan “Fuel Your Day” was created to highlight the café’s focus on providing energising, high-quality coffee and snacks for busy customers. It emphasises convenience and modernity.)
Final Design The final logo combines the minimalist coffee cup icon with the café name and slogan in a balanced, contemporary layout. The softer geometric elements and rounded typography reflect the café’s modern yet welcoming identity.
Next, we will use Looka to create the logo and visualise its applications.