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VISUAL DESIGN CASE STUDY:
BRAND IDENTITY &
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Local Grounds

Client

Local Grounds

Year

2022

Category

Food & Beverage

Role

Communication Designer

Visual Designer

Responsibilities

Research
Competitive Analysis
Creative Direction
Naming

Logo
Brand & Identity
Marketing Collateral

Overview

Through the reimagining of a brand, The Whole Bean, the Local Grounds coffee shop concept was developed. Project deliverables include a complete brand identity suite, a preliminary design system with a style guide outlining color scheme, type scale, brand images, a logo, icons, and a social media header, used to create digital and print marketing materials.

The Challenge

56% of coffee shops fail within the first five years. This statistic is eye-opening when considering that the top two reasons for closure are "unprepared for ownership" and "lack of brand identity." While I can't impact the first, I can thoughtfully create a brand identity that will make a lasting first impression.

The Solution

Ensuring the brand communicates a uniform identity from conception to execution by creating an identity system before launch. As they enter the market, this foundation will allow Local Grounds to overcome one of coffee shop owners' main challenges. Also, utilizing a solid basis of UX principles within my designs will lay the groundwork for the future creation of a complete design system.

The Process

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define brand
anatomy 

understand
our audience

developing
brand
identity

create
media
touch points

we are buttons

The Journey

When developing the concept for Local Coffee, it needed to include the entire design process and the production of all digital and print assets. ​ Onboarding began with understanding the complete business vision, and in the discovery phase, it became clear that the proposed location of the coffee shop was the focal point. This insight provided the foundation for the Local Coffees brand and the decision to drop the working name, The Whole Bean. The name needed to balance sincerity and warmth with a touch of modernity to create a voice for its mission statement. When customers enter Local Grounds, they should feel like this is "the place" you want to come to every day for your favorite cup of coffee, the place you love to grab a snack and catch up with a friend or get some work done. Ultimately, the brand needs to have a little something for everyone that leaves customers feeling valued and appreciated. In moving forward with the research phase, I defined primary personas to understand the customer and created a competitive analysis for future brand applications. I continued in the creation of visual and digital ass