Baffin Brewing Company
Challenge
Baffin Brewing Company is located in Saint Clair Shores, MI. The local brewery has a strong customer base and an excellent portfolio of beers. Baffin needed a strong brand package with consideration for their existing logo and accompanying artwork.
Solution
When creating the brand for Baffin Brewing Company, I wanted to ensure that it maintained and represented the brand identity and original logo from its existing portfolio. The brand needed to represent Baffin’s identity and personality. The brand and accompanying graphics needed to feel edgy, fun, and casual.
Client
Baffin Brewing*, Michigan State University
Project
Branding, Logo Design, Graphic Design, Packaging
Date
2023
Research
The first step of the brand refresh was to conduct preliminary research, such as a competitive analysis, social media audit and SWAT analysis.
Baffin Brewing Company has a strong social media presence, with active accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Facebook: At the time of this analysis, the Facebook page has over 13,000 likes. There are regular updates to the page with beer offerings, food truck announcements, events, and promotions.
Instagram: Over 6,500 followers, features a classic setup of images (featuring food related to their ingredients) appealing images of beers, events, and taproom, showcasing the brewery's unique personality.
Twitter/X: About 1,000 followers, is used primarily for promoting events and engaging with customers.
TikTok: roughly 250 followers, a massive dip compared to Facebook. This account is used for promoting trending content and the overall personality of the brand.
Findings: Baffin Brewing Company's social media posts would benefit from greater consistency. Currently, there is a noticeable variation in the frequency of their posts across different platforms, with certain channels being updated less frequently than others. To enhance their social media presence, Baffin could consider incorporating more user-generated content. This strategy would not only increase customer engagement but also effectively promote their brand. By encouraging customers to share their experiences and opinions about the company, Baffin can tap into the power of user-generated content and create a stronger bond with their audience.
Social Media Audit
After preliminary research, early brand development efforts were started. This included customer personas, brand mood/inspiration boards, etc.
Brand Development
Name: Emily
Gender: Female
Income: $65,000
Job: Office Administrator
Location: Southeast Metro Detroit area
Relationship: Single
Meet Emily, a 23-year-old female always up for trying new things. She enjoys spending time with friends, exploring new places, and trying out new brands of craft drinks. Visiting breweries wherever she goes, she enjoys getting a "taste" for the local culture. When it comes to beer, Emily prefers lighter options that offer a crisp, clean taste, making ciders and light beers, like shandies, her top choice.
Emily discovered Baffin Brewing Company and was immediately drawn to their selection of refreshing beers. She loves that Baffin offers a variety of flavors and styles, from classic pilsners to fruity sours. For Emily, Baffin Brewing Company is more than just a local brewery - It's a great hangout to catch up with friends, enjoy some local food trucks, and enjoy great taste.
Customer Persona Example
Laying out the mood board inspiration for an overall brand look and feel.
Mood Board
Image: Imagery of the interior building with beer mugs on the ceiling. Imagery of the exterior building, the brewery building was originally a repurposed building from 1934 helps to solidify this.
For the logo design process, The MainText logo was repurposed as the main logo. The Classic Logo was kept and used as a secondary logo, while a new submark was created.
Logo Design
Main Logo*
Classic Logo*
Submark
*All associated logos are property of Baffin Bewing CompanyThe packaging design concept for Mango Unchained was developed with the goal of subtly integrating mangoes. To achieve this, Indian Rose-ringed parrots, known for their affinity for mangos, were added. The addition of red sunglasses pays homage to Baffin's original logo, contributing a playful & distinctive element to the overall design.
Package Design
Graphic Design
The design showcases a drawn skeleton holding the iconic Baffin mug – a symbol earned by patrons, immortalized on the Baffin ceiling. The design encapsulates the rugged aesthetic of the brand and is an ode to the hard-earned camaraderie.
Accompanying graphics for the Baffin brand. These graphics can be used as SWAG apparel, stickers, etc.
The existing Baffin Brewing Company's website is not user-friendly and does not encompass the brand's identity. A comprehensive website redesign would not only enhance user experience but also provide a platform for the brand personality to shine, showcase beers on tap, show the upcoming food truck schedule, and allow the brand to better connect with its patrons.
Web Design
Mobile Current State
Mobile Redesign
Desktop Redesign
Desktop Current State
Desktop and Mobile homepage comp for website redesign created in Figma.
(Live Link Here)
Brand Guidelines Deliverable
A comprehensive brand guidelines deliverable was created for the purpose of this brand refresh.
*This project was for portfolio purposes only for a university project and was not affiliated with the represented brand. All elements of the brand design unique to this project are property of Elizabeth Desmarais.