Custom Character Design
The design project begins with a new chocolate strawberry character for Valentine’s Day. The assignment was to seamlessly integrate the new character into the existing lineup of six characters, all drawn in a kawaii cartoon style.
The original characters were mostly muted browns and beiges with a small hint of coral orange and Olympic blue.
To enrich the spectrum, I introduced light vermilion, to accentuate the strawberry's red hue. This carefully curated color palette became a major component of the branding identity for this project.
Observing the eyes of each character, I noticed a unifying theme – circular eyes with two inner highlights. The new strawberry character proudly dons the same eyes, seamlessly blending into the character family.
Looking closer at the mouths of the characters revealed three distinct mouths: line smile, half open smile, and full open smile. Three of the characters have a line smile and two of the characters have a full open smile. I opted for a full open smile to balance the diverse expressions of the existing characters.
Custom Sticker Designs
Diving into sticker designs for The Sweet Cup's espresso and boba bar, I ensured a cohesive visual language using the established characters and color palette. Arms and legs were added to the characters, allowing them to visually express their unique personalities and interests.
Taking a closer look at the customers The Sweet Cup serves, I found that their customer base is mainly teenagers and young adults. An example of a key customer includes someone who goes to The Sweet Cup right after high school lets out to get their boba fix and socialize with their friends. Another key customer example is someone who grabs a coffee on the way to work or to study for an exam. It is essential for the customers to relate to the characters. Taking inspiration from The Sweet Cup's youthful clientele, I tailored activities that resonate with 15-26 year olds – from shopping sprees to individual music sessions.
Logical choices for each character's activities were made. The Valentine's Day-themed chocolate strawberry holds a box of chocolates and a bouquet, embodying the spirit of love. The ice cream character, adorned with sprinkles, joyfully throws them into the air, creating a visual narrative.
The stickers, unified by a circular design, display The Sweet Cup's logo at the bottom, reinforcing the brand's visual identity.
Friendships are important to everyone, but especially to teens and young adults. In a nod to the importance of friendships, some stickers feature pairs of characters celebrating and having fun together. This not only resonates with The Sweet Cup's youthful clientele but also reinforces the joy of shared moments.
