FUEL | Aurora Coffee Co. Case Study | Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Brand Expression, Environmental Design Web Design, Logo Design, Photography

Aurora Coffee Co

Brand strategy / Brand identity / Environmental / Packaging / Web Design

Branding Place

The Brief
Can love of coffee and travel combine to help a new business break into a competitive market?

The Opportunity

Sometimes, simplicity is key. That was our approach to the naming and brand development of this coffee shop founded by two Navy veterans who had enjoyed coffee from all around the globe during their service. The couple wanted to provide an international coffee experience to the community that would be welcoming to local high schoolers and their parents. Considering these factors, we built the brand around a celebration of friendship, travel, and of course, coffee.

Brand Strategy

When you’re breaking into a highly competitive market like coffee, you’d better have a way to distinguish yourself. For Aurora to compete with established local shops and global heavyweights, FUEL aimed to create a brand that would immediately leave an impression on guests.

Brand Identity

From naming to development of the logo, tone of voice and in-store experience, this was achieved with an inviting brand identity that conveyed expertise and passion for coffee and offered a little splash of elegance.

After exploring a range of names, we decided to incorporate that of one of the co-owners: Aurora. Hers is also the name of the mythological goddess of dawn, which was a natural choice since morning is the most popular time to drink coffee. Instead of using the possessive “Aurora’s,” the simple addition of “Coffee Co.” helped the shop stand out while maintaining the personal connection customers could expect with the owners.

Within the circular mark, you’ll see it carries the shop’s name in a balanced way—the right connotation for starting your day or unwinding after a long one. The circular shape also evokes the world, to give a nod to travel. And subtle cues are given to the first rays of sunshine peeking over the horizon.

Brand Expression

While some would consider warmer colors to evoke the sun, dark slate blue set the mood for the optimistic dawning of a new day with the perfect amount of elegance. And of course, the color scheme harkens back to their former lives in the military. The owners also liked art nouveau aesthetics, which led to the incorporation of modernized damask patterns in the brand expression.

Environmental

Inside the shop, the environment had to appeal to a range of ages. This led us to a modern/contemporary interior design featuring warm wood tones, deep blues, pops of metallic silvers and a little bling courtesy of signature chandeliers. Artwork hanging throughout echoes the owners’ own inspiration and joy of travel.

While the build-out rested on other shoulders, FUEL was also very involved in helping develop the look of the space — from exterior signage to interior colors, fabrics, layout, furniture, and making sure the brand was well represented in-house.

Packaging

From custom coffee cups and mugs to branded bags for the blends, every customer touchpoint leveraged the strategy to bring cohesiveness to every visit.

Uniform

The simplicity of the brand bled into the design of the uniforms. Monochrome navy blue ensured that the staff looked like they belonged while the white logo on aprons and hats really popped.

Web Design

Aurora Coffee’s website was built with a streamlined UX in mind. The web design aimed to help customers find information, learn about the company, and of course, order coffee. A social media feed on the site allowed users to stay connected with the shop and its owners.

Recognition

Exterior Signage | Gold

2017 American Advertising Awards

Exterior Signage | Judge’s Choice

2017 American Advertising Awards

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Design Success™

Contact

800 N Compton Dr.
Hiawatha, IA 52233
319.393.7739

Email

inquiries@fuelbranding.com
careers@fuelbranding.com

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