Living in Springfield most of my life, I have made a mission to frequent a variety of coffeehouses. Most coffee aficionados strive to find the perfect house blend or attain the venerated $100 pound of Kopi Luwak. Me, I enjoy the full-package including the coffeehouse’s attention to design.
Not too long ago, Springfield welcomed a new addition to the coffeehouse scene with The Coffee Ethic who place an emphasis on the art and science of brewing the perfect cup as well as being socially and environmentally responsible. These are certainly criteria that rank high on my list for a great coffeehouse (or any organization for that matter). But as a designer I have always been drawn to their identity.
Many logos today try to do too much with little success. The Coffee Ethic gets to the essence of who they are and what they do with the most efficient of design. Little nuances like the blue element that symbolizes their focus on great coffee wrapped by the coffee cup work together to form a beautiful C and E monogram. No fluff, no unnecessary embellishments. Even the Helvetica logotype fits beautifully with the logogram providing an understated-yet-appropriate anchor for the design. When you enter The Coffee Ethic you see the design carry through to the environmental signage as well as various swag.
With so many coffeehouses popping up all over the Springfield metro area, it’s refreshing to find at The Coffee Ethic the perfect blend of a quality cup and complimentary design that strive to make a positive impact culturally, socially, and environmentally.