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What the font?

The Influence of Fonts on Perception and Design

There are over half a million fonts in the world. Like other design elements, fonts influence how readers perceive the text, a product, or even the entire website. Everything we read on a screen, book, magazine, or packaging label sparks our subconscious cognition. Font psychology taps into the connection between the appearance of words and how our brain processes, retains, and makes associations with them.

Typeface vs. Font – Understanding the Difference

First things first, what’s the difference between a typeface and a font? Fonts are variations within a typeface, like italics or bold. So, 12-point Helvetica is a font, and 10-point Helvetica Bold is a separate font within the same typeface.

The Impact on Human Emotions and Perception

Typography is an essential aspect of visual communication, influencing the way we perceive and interpret information. Font psychology is the study of how different typefaces impact human emotions and perception. The main psychological factor in typography is the deep cultural cues ingrained in the letters’ forms and shapes. Thousands of years of history and the evolution of language are ingrained in all the fonts we use today.

Therefore, proper font choices fuel your user experience and ultimately affect the design side of your conversion rate optimization. Fonts, typography, and letters tell stories and transmit feelings and emotions. They aren’t just an add-on to a visual in a design; they are part of the overall story.

Take a look at the two shapes below. Now pick which one you associate with the word “Kiki” and which one with the word “Bouba.” Most of you probably chose the pointy shape for “Kiki” and the bubbly shape for “Bouba.” The word “Kiki” sounds pointy and sharp, while “Bouba” is round and feels like a bubble. In the psychology of shapes, triangles represent motion and hierarchy, while circles are completion, comfort, and endless cycles. The shapes, sounds, and cultural associations, all together, inspire emotions and feelings in the viewer.

Typography in History and Human Evolution

Fonts, or typography in general, have evolved through history alongside humanity — changing, transforming, and adapting to the consequences. In fact, the first typeface was a Blackletter variety used by Johannes Gutenberg on the first printing press, starting in 1440. This typeface design was created to mimic the calligraphic handwriting used by monks to hand-transcribe manuscripts prior to the invention of the printing press. What we know of typography and fonts now is a rich combination of everything humans have experienced since we could capture information into shapes that others could understand.

Understanding the Personality of Typefaces

A typeface consists of various distinguishable parts, such as serif, sans-serif, aperture, ascender, baseline, cap height, descender, leading, letter spacing, stem, stroke, and x-height. 

When you think about serif fonts, you might think of them as smartly dressed people in button-up shirts with collars and fancy shoes. Words you could think of to describe these fonts are elegant and authoritarian. Serif typefaces scored the highest on traits such as “stable, practical, mature, and formal”.

A sans serif is easy-going, upbeat and wears loose and casual clothing. There are different nuances to sans serif fonts; some feel very circular, while others are thin and elongated. Most brands use sans serif fonts to feel more relatable and approachable to their consumers. Sans-serifs did not score extremely high or low on any of the personality traits listed, which makes them both natural and all-purpose in a sense.

Handwritten fonts are youthful and informal. They’re like your neighbour coming over for a casual drink. They can come across as uncomplicated if used in the correct way and they can be great for human connection. 

Script fonts are varied – they can be elegant or casual. You can think of them as ballet dancers and contemporary performers. Script fonts were seen as youthful, happy, creative, rebellious, feminine, casual, and cuddly in this study.

Think of decorative and novelty fonts as the rebels, the cool kids of the bunch. You could say they are the least subtle of the typeface families because they wear their hearts on their sleeves and tell a story immediately. 

The Software Usability Research Laboratory (SURL) at Wichita State University tried to understand how people perceive typefaces. They asked participants to complete a questionnaire detailing which characteristics describe and resonate with different fonts, in their opinion.

 

Serif Fonts: Smart, Elegant, and Authoritative

Sans-serif Fonts: Easy-going and Approachable

Handwritten Fonts: Youthful and Informal

Script Fonts: Varied, Elegant, or Casual

Decorative and Novelty Fonts: Bold and Expressive

 

The Importance of Fonts in User Interface Design

Typeface psychology plays a significant role in User Interface (UI) design, impacting users’ interactions and impressions. The choice of typeface is crucial for creating an attractive UI design that triggers user engagement. Alongside other graphic elements, the typeface contributes to the overall design concept. For example, when designing a food application, a simple yet playful typeface with colours like red or yellow can evoke hunger, supplemented by a geometric or sans-serif typeface to enhance attractiveness. Making the right decision in typeface selection can drive users to interact more with the design. 

Additionally, typeface design influences user perception and legibility, allowing designers to enhance user belief in the design. Typefaces can also help express personality within a design, creating a distinct characteristic that sets it apart. The script logo of Coca-Cola serves as a prime example, embodying the brand’s recognition and awareness through its calligraphic script logo with unique slants.

“Choosing the right font for your brand is so much more than something that looks good. It’s the tone and feel you want to send out, and with that, the people you want your business to attract. Imagine it like this – all fonts are milkshakes, it’s a delicious treat that can go with a meal or stand alone. Then the font type is your milkshake flavour, completely transforming the milkshake – you can have a fun, playful bubblegum shake, a classic, minimal vanilla shake, or a sophisticated, chic salted caramel gourmet shake. If your business is ‘the yard’ – it’s about choosing the correct flavour to bring all the ‘right people’ to your yard.” – Tam Locke, Art Director at Coffee Creative Studio

Fonts are more than just aesthetic choices in design. They hold the power to influence perception, evoke emotions, and enhance user experiences. From the elegant authority of serif fonts to the approachable nature of sans-serif fonts, each typeface has its own distinct characteristics. By making thoughtful typeface selections, designers can create visually appealing user interfaces that trigger engagement and convey brand personalities.

 

The Power of Colour Psychology: Revealing the Emotions Behind Brand Colours

Colour Perception

Subconsciously, colour shapes our perception of the world around us. Our brains process visual signals, enabling us to distinguish and assign meaning to different colours. But have you ever wondered what occurs in your brain when you encounter colour? How do various colours influence your emotions and behaviour? Consider the iconic Coca-Cola brand. Its timeless red hue has become synonymous with positivity, fun, and energy. This example highlights the profound impact that brand colours can have on evoking specific emotions and associations.

Colour psychology delves into how colours influence our perception of the world. Colours possess a remarkable ability to impact our emotions, subsequently shaping our behaviours as consumers. Astonishingly, WGSN reports that up to 90% of snap judgments made about products are solely based on colour.

The Rise of Digital Lavender

In recent news, Digital Lavender has been crowned the colour of the year for 2023 by WGSN. This captivating shade is linked to calmness and serenity, making it a prominent choice since people are regaining their freedom after lockdown, and consumers prioritise their health and well-being. Not only is this colour going to become popular in fashion and technology, you might notice how it becomes a positive association in our minds and synonymous with something good. This is a clear example of how colour and trends play an important role in our decision-making process.

 

The Influence of Culture on Colour

It’s fascinating to note that the effects of colour on mood and behaviour can vary depending on individual differences and cultural context. For instance, Western cultures often associate black with mourning and sadness, while in some Eastern cultures, it represents power and elegance. Similarly, white signifies purity and innocence in Western cultures, but it symbolises death and mourning in certain Eastern cultures.

Providing Memorable Brand Experiences

Because of this, colour psychology provides an invaluable framework for understanding how we interact with the brands that shape our lives. It is a potent tool that enables the creation of more meaningful and unforgettable brand experiences. Research even suggests that colour can enhance brand recognition by an impressive 80%.

When choosing what colours you want for your brand, there are key things you need to consider. As discussed above, presenting yourself in a way that your consumer’s resonate with and relate to is everything, and that means carefully selecting the right colours that communicate your message without saying anything at all. Let’s run through some important factors to remember: 

Authenticity: Choose colours that align authentically with your brand. While stepping outside of expectations can be beneficial for challenging the status quo, it’s crucial to remain mindful of your audience’s preferences and expectations. An example of a brand choosing colours that align authentically with their brand is Patagonia. Patagonia, an outdoor clothing and gear company, uses earthy and nature-inspired colours like greens, browns, and blues. These colours reflect their commitment to environmental sustainability and their connection to outdoor adventures.

Reflecting Brand Personality: Your brand personality is the aspect of your brand that audiences connect with on a human level. When selecting colours, consider how they embody your brand’s unique personality traits. Referencing the same example as above, Coca-Cola is a brand that effectively reflects its personality through their choice of colours. Their vibrant colours reflect a bold, dynamic personality that encourages a fullness of life. 

Resonating with Your Audience: Customer research is an indispensable tool for understanding those you serve. Building a buyer persona can help you identify which colours are likely to resonate with your target audience and evoke a positive response.

Starbucks is a brand that has chosen colours to resonate with its audience. The brand predominantly uses shades of green in its logo, store design, and packaging. Green is associated with nature, freshness, and sustainability, which aligns with Starbucks’ focus on sourcing ethical and sustainable coffee. Additionally, the green colour evokes a sense of relaxation and comfort, creating a welcoming environment for customers to enjoy their coffee. By selecting green as their primary colour, Starbucks appeals to their target audience of coffee lovers who value quality, sustainability, and a cosy atmosphere.

Ultimately, the power of colour psychology in branding cannot be underestimated. Colour has a profound impact on our emotions, perceptions, and behaviours as consumers. It plays a crucial role in shaping brand personality, resonating with target audiences, and creating memorable brand experiences. Understanding the authentic alignment between your brand and colours is essential, as it allows you to communicate your message effectively while considering your audience’s expectations.

At Coffee Creative Studio, we understand the significance of selecting the right colours for your brand. Contact us today to get in touch and discover how we can assist you in creating a powerful visual identity for your brand. 

The Rise of Dark Mode Interface: Enhancing User Experience

The introduction of dark mode on Android and Apple phones a few years ago and now more recently on email interfaces has increased in popularity exponentially. Dark mode reverses the colour scheme of the user interface from light to dark, making it easier to stay focused, reducing eye strain, and improving visibility. Apart from this, it also reduces screen brightness, which can help save battery life. The introduction of Dark Mode has opened up opportunities for businesses to offer a unique interface that might give people more incentive to check them out. As professionals in the field of design and web development, we know that there are differing opinions on the concept of dark mode. Our goal is to provide you with information on its impact on your business and offer solutions to address any challenges it may present.

 

Shedding some light: what is dark mode? 

Dark mode is not just a black background with white text; it is designed to make the most important content stand out. The focus is on helping reduce strain with muted colour palettes and darker colours and making sure that only the most relevant text stands out. Incorporating a dark theme in an email app or website can make the interface more attractive and make consumers more likely to read marketing emails.

 

However, the primary impact of dark mode is on mailers, forcing a shift in thinking. Developers and designers have much less control over the aesthetic outcome of mailers than they used to. When dark mode is switched on, the application checks for instances of background or bgcolour styles in the code of the email and changes them to a dark grey or seemingly any random colour. Font colour is also targeted and changed from a darker hex colour to white.

 

Designing for dark mode: what can you do? 

What you can do to cover your bases when designing is to ensure that each image section in your email build stands the full width of the space and fills in any potential gaps that could have additional white-spaced backgrounds. This will keep the email’s visual consistency across both light and dark colour schemes. Designing your mailers to be as simple and minimal as possible is also key here. You can also ‘hack the system’ and design specifically for dark mode but this can cause some issues as some brand identities don’t work in dark mode and the outcome you want is not guaranteed.

 

Therefore, the solution is to shift from design focus to content focus and design mailers to be as simple and minimal as possible, with less use of columns and more well-thought-out copy content. It is always important to get a web developer’s help with this sort of thing if you aren’t 100% sure. They’ll know how to make sure your logo, copy, and images work with both interfaces.

 

To sum up, it’s advisable to consider dark mode during the design and development process, even though it may not be possible to have full control over it. You want to make your brand’s interface attractive and less stressful to the eyes, so making sure you cover for both light and dark mode is very important, as it will enhance your email subscribers and website visitors’ user experience.



Clear Out the Cobs: 7 Must-Have Web Design Trends for 2022

What are the current trends in web design? Technology is advancing so fast that it can leave even a seasoned web design pro feeling like it’s the ‘90s. 

The one constant in web design is that nothing is constant. Design trends change, new technologies provide more opportunities for creative expression and the industry moves in various directions each year. Websites have to be tweaked and updated regularly to sustain an audience’s interest and attention. Simply put, keeping a website at the forefront of design and search engine rankings requires staying up to date with the pace of change. 

Here are 7 of the biggest web design features and elements to watch and incorporate into your website in 2022. Remember, each trend may not work for every website. Always choose those that benefit and best suit your brand aesthetic. 

Scrollytelling Transformations

Imagine having users who look forward to scrolling. It’s possible with scrollytelling – a visually and aurally striking design technique used to engage audiences more and enhance their experience. 

Scrollytelling is a portmanteau of the words “scroll” and “storytelling.” The technique is used to reveal or change content (usually a graphic) as the user scrolls.  It does not alter scroll behaviour, but simply monitors it. This design approach uses imagery, video and copywriting to tell compelling brand and product/service stories, which a user can engage with by *drum roll please* swiping. The ability to scroll gives audiences a sense of control and exploration.  

Through scrollytelling, brands can tell stories through chronological visuals with smaller chunks of information that is easier to digest. 

Scrollytelling aims to increase the time a visitor spends on a website, to make page content appear limitless and to encourage the user to visit other pages or different sections, like contact form, pricing pages and so forth. 

Illustrations and Iconography Make a Comeback

During the early days of advertising and marketing illustrations were the dominant medium used to tell brand stories, from cover art for magazines, product labels, flyers and more.  In 2022, web design will make its way down memory lane, as the trend switches from less photography-based imagery to illustrations and iconography characters. Expect a digital evolution in illustration design, with more illustrations being incorporated to give life to design that lingers in the mind.

Minimalism Out. Maximalism In

More is more as trends move from away minimalism to creative excess in design; integrating video, audio, imagery, layering, a mix of typography styles, oversized fonts and colour intricacies to create visuals that are more striking and in your face. The maximalism design style is all about splitting from convention and breaking the rules to stand out. 

Oversized Typography

Fortune favours the bold font. Typography of unusual sizes will be a fresh trend this year. Large fonts are not only unavoidable to the eye, they can really help to reinforce a message, headline or call to action. By oversizing singular words, for example, fonts can become graphic elements that are more than just part of a message. They emphasize and reinforce. 

Get Colourful

Colour trends over the past few years have favoured softer colours and neutrals. While these colours are still perfect for brands who require a softer look, 2022 is the year to go bright! Loud colours are difficult to ignore like loud neon, contrast shades and standout colour blocking. Keeping design minimal with pops of standout brightness against whitespace adds energy and makes a design feel alive. We expect to see more and more complex gradients creating illusions of movement and adding more texture, depth and excitement to a webpage while keeping designs minimal. eCommerce in particular benefits from bold colour choices.

Mobile Responsive Design 

Are you reading this blog on desktop or your smartphone? This is an important question for you and your brand. As of January 2022, accessing the web via mobile exceeded 55% of global internet usage in comparison to desktop devices taking up 42%. As audiences favour the availability of faster internet on the go, mobile responsive design will continue to be a heavy hitter this year. 

Mobile vs Desktop Insights for 2022 

sourced from TechJury

  • Mobile vs desktop usage stats in 2022 reveals 50% of B2B inquiries were made via mobile last year.
  • Social media takes 25% of all digital media consumption and it is mainly accessed on mobile.
  • In 2021 mobile generated 54.25% of traffic and desktops 42.9%.
  • 55% of page views in 2021 came from mobile phones.

Retro Fonts

Old school is making another comeback. Typography is so much more than just Times New Roman and Helvetica. Retro fonts add a vintage feel that taps into an older audience’s longing for nostalgia, while younger target markets are drawn to the originality.  A trend we are seeing is designers reinterpreting and updating retro fonts by adding futuristic shapes, different stylisation and brighter colours. 

The year 2022 will be a year in which we see significant disruption in how websites are designed.  Get in touch with Coffee Creative Studio to see how we can design your website with the latest design trends that get target markets clicking. 

 

Why Paid Media Needs a Place in Your Marketing Strategy

Are you tired of receiving likes on social media, but having no conversion to sale for your product or service? Have you seen your organic posts’ impressions dwindle or not get the high engagement numbers they used to? Many brands that rely on organic marketing share your woes. In today’s crowded, high-noise media landscape, organic awareness just isn’t enough. Fewer people are seeing posts on social media that are not backed by ad spend. What many may not be aware of, is that this is by design. 

Social media platforms, as fun and engaging as they can be, are businesses first, and like all businesses, they exist to make money. Brands that can build a strong organic reach with high engagements don’t need to pay for ads. Thus they are not useful to social media platforms. As a result, these platforms have to make it much harder (using algorithms and other techniques) for brands to achieve their desired results organically. Businesses that aren’t willing to pay to advertise and promote their content simply go unseen.

However, there is a solution to this dilemma – Paid Media. 

Organic Media vs Paid Media

The term Organic Media refers to all free content that you post on your pages that you haven’t paid for promotion. When posted organically, that content will appear in the news feeds of people or pages that follow you.

Paid Media links ad spend to results. It refers to all social media posts, display ads, video ads, pop-ups and other multimedia content that are marketed with a budget. If a post in your news feed has a “Sponsored” or “Promoted” tag, that is considered a paid social post. 

Pros of Paid Social Media

Organic media has many drawbacks that paid media more than makes up for. Some of the benefits of Paid Media include: 

  • Advanced Targeting

Unlike organic media, paid media gives you total control over who sees your ads. Using a platform’s audience targeting features and demographic parameters, a brand can reach the precise shoppers that it wants to reach. This is a powerful way to both expand and engage your ideal audience at once. Through Paid Media, brands can leverage the various targeting options of social media to capture the attention of leads throughout their marketing funnels.

  • Amplified Reach

With posts from family and friends now being given priority on Facebook and Instagram, organic reach for brands is declining. Paid media gives brands instant visibility. With a little budget backing your posts, you can easily reach users who don’t exist within your brand’s social network, but are likely to be interested in your brand and its offering. Greater reach equals greater results.

  • No Vanity Metrics

Vanity metrics are data that make your brand look good, but aren’t indicative of real performance. They also do little to support your marketing strategy, like the “share” feature. Paid Media provides measurable results by providing detailed insight into post effectiveness and can help drive future strategies to support greater ROI.

  • Fits Any Budget

No matter how small your budget, you can still be effective at Paid Media as the most successful brand accounts on social media are often those with the most attention-grabbing content – not necessarily the biggest spenders. Sponsored posts on Facebook can start from as little as R15, making it an affordable and viable option that caters to all business sizes and budgets.

Brands hoping to be successful on social media, and have that translate to real-world success, will benefit a great deal from Paid Media. To show your content to the right people, in the right place and at the right time, let us run a paid media campaign on your behalf. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our Paid Media services. 

From Garage to Greatness

Once upon a time in a garage far, far away (well, not really, just on the other side of the hill in Westville), a couple of ambitious (and crazy) youngsters took on a freelance job. They had no idea at the time that this little job would be the beginning of an epic adventure.

If you’d told us six years ago that we’d be sitting in a super chic office in the middle of Umhlanga with a staff of sixteen, that we would be the creative agency for The Sharks and would have just landed an incredibly exciting project with The SPAR Group, we absolutely would NOT have believed you.

But, here we are, going from strength to strength and still loving what we do!

From working in a leaky garage to an office in La Lucia and then a move to Umhlanga, it’s been a journey of epic proportions that has certainly kept us on our toes! There has been plenty of laughter, tears, late nights, moments of “what the heck are we doing” and of course, copious amounts of coffee.

Over the last six years, we’ve been fortunate enough to work with some really inspiring brands and people, some of which have included well-known names like, FutureLife®, The Dolphins, Belgotex Sport and Fidelity Security and start-ups, including Republik and We Are Food. In addition to awesome clients, we’ve also been surrounded by a great team of staff (who we consider family)!

Our team of Coffee Beans are the life and soul of our business, after all, without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Their passion and commitment to each job has been phenomenal, and every one of them adds their unique flavour to our Coffee Culture. Thank you, Beans, for being an integral part of this crazy, exciting journey.

So, on our sixth birthday, we want to raise our glasses (and mugs) and toast to each and every one of you, big, small, start-up, and everything in between and thank you, from the bottom of our caffeine racing hearts, for trusting us with your brands and business, and allowing us to walk along side you as we help you achieve your business goals!

Here’s to another six and many more to come!

Make Christmas More Creative This Year

Fine, we’ll admit it. There’s just something about Christmas that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside! As much as it’s a celebration of traditions that go way back, we figured it’s time we create a few new traditions of our own. So if you’re keen to join us, here’s how we plan to make this Christmas one to remember…

1) Remix your tree
Nothing says “Christmas” like a Christmas tree but let’s be honest, our environment can’t really afford to be dishing out the live trees of years gone by. Why not find an epic way to create something original? You could even change it up by making or creating a new tree every year. Our favourite one has got to be this guy!

ladder-christmas-tree
But if he’s not your cup of tea, check out a few more here:
http://thewhoot.com.au/whoot-news…

2) Give chocolate advent calendars the boot
Whilst we love them, we’re just not five anymore. So, if you’re a grown up wanting to get in on the count down to Christmas, you could always consider a boozy adult advent calendar. We’re big fans of this Ginvent calendar, and although it’s only available abroad, you could definitely make your own!

ginvent

Get inspired and into the Christmas spirits (you see what we did there?) here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/extras…

3) Substitute the standard Christmas cake

Apologies to grannies and aunties everywhere – but Christmas cake is a tradition we’d like to see overhauled. Why not consider a cheeky cheesecake for the occasion or even a festive ice cream cake to suit the sweltering temperatures of Christmas in South Africa? This chocolate cherry cheesecake gets our vote, but there are plenty to be found online.

4) Update the usual spread

You know it’s Christmas when you’re left feeling stuffed like a Christmas Turkey once the massive meal is over. Why not make Christmas lunch a lighter affair with a large assortment of snacks, dips and cheeses? Or go a little more local with gourmet boerie rolls or a proudly South African potjie, there’ll be less to clean up after anyway.

5) Don’t forget to give back

Giving back to those less fortunate is an important part of the festive season that we often forget. As a family or with your significant other, why not choose a worthy cause to make a donation to each Christmas? It could be monetary, your time or even things around the house that you no longer have use for.

6) Pump up the jams

Yes, Christmas carols are a must but we like the idea of mixing up the playlist for your festive family gathering. Ahead of time, why not contact each person who will be attending your lunch or dinner and ask them to submit five songs that they’d like to hear. That way, you have a Christmas album that everyone enjoys that doesn’t only consist of Boney M… It also makes for great memories later on!

Sure, this post is all about Christmas, but we’d never forgive ourselves if we didn’t include a shameless punt about us. So, if you’re looking to add a unique spin to your brand why not give yourself the gift of a logo or website you can be proud of? For more on our range of services, contact us today!

5 Reasons to Invest in Professional Website Design

With more tools on the market than ever before, DIY website design is on the rise. While this is good news for personal bloggers who want to create a simple and quick website, it is not always ideal for businesses who want a powerful presence online. It can be tempting to look for cheap or free shortcuts that allow you to get a website up and running. Sadly however, taking the DIY route can be devastating in the long run.

Why is it so crucial to invest in professional website design? Let’s take a look to see what value you can expect from a professionally designed website.

Why Your Business Deserves Professional Website Design

Your business is everything to you. You’ve put in countless time and resources to get where you are today. Your website is the proverbial proof of the pudding, acting as a testament to what you have to offer. Often, your website is the very first introduction that a prospective client will have to your business. When a potential client arrives on your website, it takes a matter of seconds to determine whether they will stay and look further, or leave and never return. Even once that visitor is on your website, poor navigation, annoying pop-up ads and a less-than-appealing design can put them off enough to leave.

Needless to say, web design plays an integral part in getting visitors to click, enquire or make a purchase. But it also plays a vital role in Search Engine Optimisation, overall marketing strategies and even your branding strategies. Some of the reasons that you should be investing in professional website design include the following:

  1. Grow your online presence. Well-designed websites are created according to sound SEO practices, performing better online to drive more traffic. Factors such as navigation, interlinking, image optimisation and smart coding will all influence your online success.
  1. Improve your conversion. As we mentioned before, getting visitors to click through to key landing pages is essential. A high-converting website is almost always designed to attract visitors and keep them on the site.
  1. Create the right impression. That first impression is everything… if you cannot get and keep your visitor’s attention in the first few seconds that they land on your website, you may lose that potential customer forever.
  1. Ensure a faster, better website. Slow, clunky websites that are littered with auto-streaming videos, pop-up (or pop-under) boxes, frustrating Flash elements and clumsy code do not make for an easy browsing experience.
  1. Maintain a powerful brand identity. A website that is beautifully designed is one thing. A beautiful website that cohesively blends into your email, logo, packaging and overall brand strategy is pure gold however.

At Coffee Creative Studio, we create beautiful, smart websites that help your business thrive online. To learn more about our professional website design and development solutions, contact us today or view our portfolio to see our work in action.

Q&A With Tam – Essential Principles of Logo Design

Logo design is something that is very often underestimated. A powerful logo creates instant brand recognition, helping to establish a brand identity that is carried across all marketing materials. And yet, logos are all too often treated as a useful extra in the overall design process. Logos are either made up on the fly, or worse, created with little to no thought of the bigger picture.

In order to understand the importance of logo design, you first need to understand the basic principles that go into the design and creation of a logo. In this Q&A, we talk to Coffee Creative Studio designer par excellence, Tam, to learn more about effective logo development and design.

Everything You Need to Know About Logo Design

What is logo design?

The logo is what people see first. Logo design in essence is taking a business in its entirety – the way it is run, what it does and what values it represents – and trying to summarise it into a recognisable symbol that will become the face of the brand.

A logo can consist of just text, just an icon or a combination of text and an icon.

What are the unwavering commandments of effective logo design?

An effective logo needs to be simple, balanced, legible, scalable and ultimately attractive.

Why is professional logo design essential?

The first encounter people will have with your company, the packaging that surrounds what you are offering the consumer, is your logo. This is why it is essential to have a professional logo design as opposed to a DIY logo made in MS Word. If the logo is sloppy, skew or out-dated, it will make your company appear to be those things, and you won’t even have the chance to convince the consumer otherwise. When you go to meet a client, you want to put your best foot forward. You want to ‘dress to impress’ and the same should apply to your logo: dress your company name to impress/attract. They will see a professional logo and assume the company this logo represents is professional, trustworthy and established. An unprofessional logo often looks cheap, making the company seem like a start-up, inexperienced and slap-dash.

Longevity is another reason to have a professional logo. When I think of all the classic logos (Coca-Cola for instance), the logo is simple, legible and timeless. It therefore can, and has, become a recognisable icon with even just the ‘C’ of the logo being recognisable, as it has been around for decades. You don’t want a logo that you will have to update every couple of years as a costly solution to stay relevant and avoid looking out-dated.

How does logo design assist with overall brand recognition and marketing?

I did mention before that the brand becomes recognisable over time. I think of the Nike tick or the McDonald’s ‘M’ – these symbols are synonymous with the brands they represent. This is because an image/icon (or even just text) is easier to remember than just ordinary text as it is unique and different.

There is more frequent and overt marketing than ever before, largely due to the accessibly of information, the development of technology and the growing usage of social media. Adverts are thrown at us as we scroll through social media and drive along the streets. There is a fear of over exposure. However with all this said, it has become even more crucial than ever before to become recognisable and attractive. With the fleeting moment of advertising, the logo needs to be unique so that the client can recognise it, and attractive enough to entice the client to engage with the company. It becomes a form of marketing in itself, because if it is attractive, it is far more likely to interest a customer to look further at the company and buy the product or service.

By becoming more recognisable, you have to chance to build a reputation, so that when they see your logo, it will bring about emotions and a connection to the brand. This helps build brand loyalty and trust.

My creative design process involves…

  1. Finding out about the company – what they do, what they’re about, what personality the company has, who they are, and what they want to portray.
  2. Finding out what they like, and whether there are any styles/logos/colours that they want as a company.
  3. Researching the company and the field they’re in, to find out what competitors have done, and get a good sense of what is appropriate for the field. (This step is often overlooked.)
  4. Beginning with some rough ideas, playing with imagery and text. I always design in black and white first (a logo has to work in its simplest form) and come up with a variety of different (and I mean different, not just same icon different text) options.
  5. When I think I have done enough, I do one more. It is good as a designer to constantly push yourself to be more conceptual and to force yourself to think of another way of representing the company. I always try to have various options, with icons, with no icons etc.
  6. Ideally, I like to create a primary and secondary version for the logo (this is not always possible however), so if one is text and icon stacked, then there needs to be one with them next to one another.
  7. I then add a couple of colour options, and lay it out for the client to choose.

The biggest logo mistakes to avoid:

Never use Microsoft Word to design a logo, create a vector logo initially, and avoid overused fonts e.g. Comic Sans. Avoid becoming too conceptual so that it becomes illegible, making fonts too small, being too ‘on-trend’ and making clichés.

Make sure you create a CMYK & RGB web version of the logo, as a RGB logo will print differently to how it appears on a screen. On that note, avoid neon colours (unless it is a purely web logo) as they are extremely difficult and costly to print to look the same.

As a designer, I avoid becoming too attached to the logo. Above all, it is about what the client wants and they may go for a design that is not your favourite, but it is their brand. However, this does not mean you cannot give your professional input.

To learn more about tailored logo design solutions at Coffee Creative Studio, contact us today and let us know how we can help you get started.

The Sharks – Celebrating a Year of Ferocious Marketing

Coffee Creative Studio is proud to have reached a milestone in our work with one of the best-loved rugby teams in the country, with 2016 marking a full year of ferocious integrated marketing strategies for The Sharks.

This team is a powerhouse brand that has a loyal, enthusiastic following of spectators, stakeholders and sponsors. The brand includes a number of brand extensions ranging from its team mascot, Sharkie, to The Sharks Academy, Sharks Kidz, Sharksmart, Sharks Medical and the Cell C Sharks supporters clubs. Coffee Creative Studio  has planned and launched a number of campaigns that were designed to further cement The Sharks’ reputation as the best of the best, with a series of integrated marketing initiatives that provided a through the line strategy that incorporated print, broadcast, large format display advertising, social media and website design and development.

Believe It. Live It. Own It.

This campaign aims to further unit supporters and The Sharks. The focus here was to encourage every stakeholder to believe, live and own the role they play in the team’s success. The campaign is designed to foster a sense of pride and belonging. This campaign comprised of integrated marketing solutions ranging from print to broadcast and large format advertising, as well as social media and online banner advertising.

Integrated Marketing Solutions

For a power team such as The Sharks, an integrated marketing solution has ensured consistent results. As a through the line agency, Coffee Creative offers a full service approach that incorporates every aspect of marketing, from brand strategy to targeted advertising.

Our work for The Sharks over the last year has comprised of the following components:

Interested in learning more about what we do? Contact Coffee Creative today and let us show you why we are fast becoming one of South Africa’s foremost marketing agencies.