Good evening! I hope you are all staying safe and dry on this rainy, gross day.
Today's blog post branched off of my Cafe Interior post from Saturday (below). As I was picking out my cafe colors, textures and furnishings, I began to imagine what sort of a brand I would want throughout my cafe/shop. Would it be a cute polka-dotted strategy of whimsy? A modern streamlined approach? Ponder, ponder.
[If you are unfamiliar with exactly what branding means, here's a definition:
Creating a unique name and image for a product/company in the consumers' mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.]
For some reason, my mental journey of "branding" for the cafe started with the signage on the restroom doors. I began to sketch different graphics, but this sketch-session strayed further from the cafe to more of a "what would this bathroom door say about the establishment?"-session.
Here are my concepts, their applications and what kind of an establishment I think they may be seen in. [Click each to view larger.]
Modern Twist :: laser cut from stainless steel; mounted onto dark-stained wooden door.
Where :: a trendy, modern office/studio or restaurant.
Unique/Artsy :: bright-colored decal applied to a funky door that has a bold pattern.
Where :: a hip local clothing store or cafe/coffee shop; comic book shop or record store.
Metaphoric :: sand-blasted (deep) on frosted glass window set in a dark-stained wooden door in a mood-lit bathroom hallway
Where :: classy lounge bar/restaurant
Whimsical :: wooden door; laser-cut bright-colored acrylic bows; face circles are set in the wood - stained a different color than the rest of the door.
Where :: a cafe/coffee shop/hangout where customers have wide-rimmed glasses, and dress like Zooey Deschanel.
Minimal :: laser-cut from numerous materials - metal, wood, plastic, etc.
Where :: an easy placement in many trendy places.
Realistic :: decal printed to contrast door color
Where :: classy spa/wellness center or gym; where there is focus on the body
Also, I love this branding experiment, and felt it was relevant. Click, and enjoy!
Thanks for reading!
A
Source: www.businessdictionary.com (definition of branding)
