Modern Grind

Client: Modern Grind Café
Role: Design, Branding, Storefront, Keynote
Industry: Food & Beverage
Services: ReBrand, Uniforms, Packaging

Discovery

Problem:
The client’s original concept, Daph’s Daily Perk, lacked the potential for growth, franchising, and the long-term objective of a corporate sale.

Goals:
Create an easy-to-remember moniker that would stand out from competitors.
Create a unique look and feel that appeals to both her southwestern clientele and professional and active adults.
Create assets for social media and swag to popularize the brand.

Research

Personas:
I created several personas based on her target clientele and gathered data from calling, visiting and browsing websites of several local coffee shops.

Styles:
I researched actual cattle brands, western art, camping, and hunting design brands and designs as well as female sporting and workout attire brands.

The Process

Company Names:
I brainstormed a list of a hundred or so names.

The client and I quickly thinned it down to the best 10 or 15 that both had reasonable corresponding domains and seemed to have no trademark via Google.

In turn, the client presented her favorites to her family and investor, reducing our list down to three.

We submitted three brand finalists to a Trademark attorney for a legal search, and Modern Grind Coffee was selected, followed by the immediate purchase of http://moderngrindcoffee.com.

Setting the Mood:
I created three mood boards, one for lifestyle and product photography, one for fonts and color pallets, and a third for packaging, T-shirts, signage, and store interiors.

The Logo:
I chose the font Artic Regular, a bold slab, using all lower case for a more chic vibe. Utilizing the slab (serifs) ends to connect the M to the ring and trimming off other slabs simplifying the M in the tradition of cattle branding iron design.

The Brand color is a strong but elegant black. We chose black cups, black employee t-shirts, and black coffee bags, highlighting both the custom blend coffees and service quality.

I wanted to use a circle logo so that the icon would fit nicely in Social media Icons, on employee T-Shirts, and coffee cups. 

Social Media: 
I created and skinned each desired Social Media channel matching the new brand name.

The Final

Using a single line and the M outlined in a partial circle, I believe we successfully merged sleek contemporary and western ranch. The Modern Grind Brand is a wild success in Buckeye, Arizona, serving professionals before work, hunters and campers early on weekend mornings, and athletes out for their morning workout with a drive-thru built to service cars, SUVs, and anyone in boots on a horse.