Crafting Kawsay’s Premium Coffee Brand
Project Type:
Branding, Visual Identity, Packaging Design, & Web Design
Role: Project Manager, Lead Designer & Digital Illustrator
Tools:
Illustration, Premiere, After Effects & Procreate
Challenge
Kawsay, a premium coffee brand from the Amazon rainforest, sought to create a brand identity that encapsulates the rich cultural heritage of the San Martin community while highlighting the natural beauty of the Amazon. Kawsay faced the challenge of reflecting the San Martin community's cultural heritage and the Amazon's natural beauty in its brand. The packaging needed to be visually appealing and practical, preserving the coffee beans' integrity. Additionally, the brand had to establish a strong online presence with a website that effectively told Kawsay’s story and mission while offering an exceptional user experience.
Solution
As the Lead Designer, I embarked on a journey to develop a cohesive and compelling visual identity, packaging, and website for Kawsay. This is the story of how we brought Kawsay’s vision to life.
PHASE 1
Empathize
To understand Kawsay’s target audience and community, we immersed ourselves in the San Martin region:
01.
Community Immersion
Participated in local activities, observed traditions, and conducted interviews with community members to gain a deep understanding of their culture and values.
03.
Audit
Studied the field and analyzed competitors to identify opportunities and differentiate Kawsay in the market.
02.
Stakeholder Collaboration
Collaborated closely with local community members and stakeholders to ensure their perspectives were integral to the branding process.
04.
User Research
Interviewed 50 potential customers to understand their needs, behaviors, and preferences, informing the website's wireframes.
Key Findings
We realized that Kawsay was lacking a brand image and was invisible in the digital ecosystem, making it harder for them to grow as a company. This insight shaped our approach to creating a strong, distinctive brand presence both offline and online.
PHASE 2
Define
We defined Kawsay’s core objectives:
01.
Encapsulate Cultural Essence
Reflect the cultural heritage of the San Martin community in the brand identity.
02.
Aesthetic Packaging Design
Create packaging that showcases the natural beauty of the Amazon while preserving product integrity.
03.
Brand Identity
Establish an authentic brand identity that conveys tradition and quality.
04.
Engaging Website Design
Develop a website with seamless navigation and engaging content, that promotes the purchasing of their products while creating a tribe.
05.
User Experience Design
Create an intuitive and enjoyable user experience on the website, facilitating easy exploration and connection with the brand.
PHASE 3
Ideate
We brainstormed creative ideas and drew inspiration from the Amazon’s lush landscapes:
We brainstormed creative ideas and drew inspiration from the Amazon’s lush landscapes:
Brainstorming Sessions: Conducted sessions with the team to generate ideas for the brand identity, packaging design, and website UX.
Inspiration from Nature: Incorporated vibrant colors, natural textures, and organic shapes inspired by the Amazon into the design.
Wireframing and Storyboarding: Developed wireframes and storyboards to outline the website’s structure and user flow.
Our creative brainstorming sessions and nature-inspired approach resulted in a diverse array of design concepts that effectively captured the essence of Kawsay and the Amazon.
PHASE 4
Prototype: Visual Identity
We created prototypes to visualize and test our ideas:
Crafted illustrations capturing the essence of the Amazon’s natural beauty and cultural richness, integrating elements from local textiles, traditional clothing, and regional flora and fauna.
Developed packaging prototypes that balanced aesthetic appeal with practicality, ensuring the coffee beans' protection and preservation. Worked closely with the printing process and analyzed materials to ensure quality.
PHASE 4
Prototype: Web Design
Created interactive website prototypes to visualize the user journey and design elements, ensuring an easy-to-navigate user experience, especially during the purchase process.
Key Features
Home Page
Highlight key differentiators with clear and engaging visuals. Accompany with an eye-catching banner or hero image with a strong call-to-action (CTA) that invites users to explore the products or learn more about the community.
Menu layout
Color changing icons
Mision of the brand
Mision of the brand
Differentiation
of the brand
Personalized illustrations
About Us Button
Create a tribe...
then sell
Products
Sliders for faster navigation
Product Page Button
Footer
Product Detail
Section
Initially, we created a model highlighting one product that led to the chocolate section. However, testing revealed that a slider was more effective, allowing users to view all three products and select which to purchase. Once it takes you to the product page we focused on showing all the attributes the chocolate holds to create a call to action.
Menu layout
Color changing icons
Product Banner
Call to Action Button
Product Image
Accompanied with the Origin & Ingredients
Chocolate Tasting
Describing sensory assets makes it easier for users to decide.
Footer
About Us
Section
We emphasized the Tikuna community with storytelling, starting with the phrase: "Chocolate Bars with History: Our journey begins deep in the Peruvian Amazon with the Tikuna Community." This section included a short legend about Tikuna mythology and an educational video showing how each purchase supports the Tikuna community.
Menu layout
Color changing icons
Showing what they sell
Chocolate bars with history
Mythology of the community
Community Commitment
Helping the community with each chocolate bar
Video showing the elaboration of the chocolate
Footer
PHASE 5
Brand Applications
Understanding that the brand extends beyond packaging, we designed uniforms, brochures, stands, and props to ensure a consistent image at all customer touch points. For their digital presence, we developed social media templates showcasing the brand's DNA and provided templates for product and external communication.
Ensuring brand consistency across all interactions is crucial as it reinforces the brand identity and builds trust with customers. This physical consistency complements the digital aspect, fostering a holistic approach that creates a seamless and cohesive brand experience, thereby strengthening customer loyalty and recognition.
ROLES
Responsibilities within the project
Project Manager
We began by analyzing each team member's skills and collaboratively assigning roles. I created a Kanban board to plan weekly goals, ensuring all objectives were met within the eight-week deadline. The process focused on two pillars: research and design. Half the team continuously researched the community, while the other half transformed this information into graphics. Weekly check-ups and bi-weekly meetings ensured smooth progress and prepared us for client pitches.
Team Manager
I conducted weekly check-ups with each team member to review their progress and offer assistance with specific tasks if needed. We also held two meetings per week to compile information, present proposals, and create client pitches. This collaborative approach ensured that all team members were aligned with the project's goals and deadlines.
Digital Illustrator
In this project, I had the opportunity to work directly on the digital illustrations and graphic elements for each packaging cover. Once the design was confirmed, these served as the basis for the rest of the brand applications, both physical and digital, carried out by the whole team.
Conclusion
This project allowed me to integrate my skills in project management, design, and illustration to create a cohesive and culturally resonant brand identity for Tikuna. The new branding and website redesign aimed to enhance the brand's recognition and accessibility, ultimately expanding its reach and impact in the national market. Through a well-coordinated team effort and a thorough understanding of the Tikuna community, we successfully delivered a brand that not only stands out but also tells a compelling story.
TIKUNA REBRANDING CASE STUDY
