Cosmic Vinyl
Cosmic Vinyl is a vegan cafe and record store hybrid located in Echo Park, an LA neighborhood known for its diversity, trendy local businesses, and creatives.
In this project, I designed a new brand identity for the record store cafe hybrid to captures its eclectic, quirky essence and reflect the rich cultural diversity of its surrounding environment.
Role
Designer
Project
Brand Identity
Logo Design
Type
Conceptual
Timeline
6 weeks
Assessing the brand
Assessing the brand
An audit of Cosmic Vinyl's brand revealed inconsistencies in brand application and an overall outdated design system.
An audit of Cosmic Vinyl's brand revealed inconsistencies in brand application and an overall outdated design system.
The first step in the rebranding process involved researching the brand context (background, audience, setting), auditing the brand's visual presence, pinpointing strengths & weakness through customer feedback, & benchmarking the brand to competitors in the space.
Brand Audit: Environmental (left) and Digital (right)
Pinpointing strengths & weaknesses of the brand through customer feedback. Strengths noted: Cozy atmosphere & relaxing ambience, friendly staff & great customer service, excellent food and record selection. Weaknesses noted: overly "hipster" feeling isolates a significant portion of customers.
Benchmarking the brand to other records stores (top) and cafes (botttom).
problem
problem
I identified 2 key gaps in the current branding...
I identified 2 key gaps in the current branding...
- Mix of two different brand images
- Different logo designs on various platforms
- No set typeface, color palette, etc.
Inconsistent
- Failure to effectively convey hybrid model
- Imbalance in cafe & record store portrayal
- Brand personality lacking in logo & web design
Incomprehensive
ReDefining the brand
ReDefining the brand
Aristic, Zany, and Eclectic
Aristic, Zany, and Eclectic
Following the brand assessment, the brand was redefined under three new brand adjectives that better captured the spirit of Cosmic Vinyl: Artistic, Zany, and Eclectic.
Brand Audit: Environmental (left) and Digital (right)
Reimagining the brand part I: visual identity
Reimagining the brand part I: visual identity
An eclectic & quirky identity balancing retro aesthetics with modern design.
An eclectic & quirky identity balancing retro aesthetics with modern design.
The process of logo design began with a series of 50 thumbnail sketches aimed at capturing ideas for the logo composition, content, and style. From there, a collection of tight compositions were sketched, refining and further developing the initial ideas from the thumbnail stage. The three strongest compositions were then pulled into Adobe Illustrator for digital rendering, and a single logo was eventually selected, refined, and finalized.
The new identity introduces a more selective color palette while retaining the brand’s eclectic visual personality.
The round and robust nature of the brand typography compliments the circular logomark and distinguishes the brand from stereotypical bold, condensed “record store” fonts.
Reimagining the brand Part II: Logo
Reimagining the brand Part II: Logo
The Logo: From Paper to Screen.
The Logo: From Paper to Screen.
The challenge was to create a visual that balanced both the record store and cafe components while also maintaining the “Cosmic” aspect of the original identity. The process of logo design began with a series of 50 thumbnail sketches aimed at capturing ideas for the logo composition, content, and style. From there, a collection of tight compositions were sketched, refining and further developing the initial ideas from the thumbnail stage. The three strongest compositions were then pulled into Adobe Illustrator for digital rendering, and a single logo was eventually selected, refined, and finalized.
Thumbnail Sketches
Tight Compositions
Initial Digital Compositions
Color Explorations
Lockup explorations: Though the font on the bottom was compelling due to its style reminiscent of traditional vinyls, the top selection proved to be a better selection to the robust nature (which mirrored the logomark's round structure nicely) and its bouncy and youthful appearance (qualities in-line with Cosmic Vinyl's brand and target audience).
Applying the Brand
Applying the Brand
The rebrand in action: physical and virtual applications.
The rebrand in action: physical and virtual applications.
The identity reimagines Cosmic Vinyl’s logo to work consistently in different scales and contexts, showcase the unique hybrid store model, and convey a more accurate brand personality. The challenge was to create a visual that balanced both the record store and cafe components while also maintaining the “Cosmic” aspect of the original identity.
Merchandise/product design
Social media implementation
Take-away cup design
Motion design for the new logomark
