Greenmarket Grocery
Greenmarket Grocery is grocery delivery service that enables consumers to order groceries and wares from their favorite local greenmarkets. The brand visuals incorporate the warm, DIY feel of community greenmarkets. Banners, handwritten type, and line drawings accompany earthy colors and textures. By capturing this quaint and welcoming energy, Greenmarket Grocery connects at-home chefs to the lively and bustling greenmarkets they love.
Brand Research
I began the design process by analyzing brands that offered services similar to Greenmarket Grocery. Most brands featured fairly simple wordmarks and packaging and utilized earthy tones. I took this into consideration when constructing Greenmarket Grocery’s visual identity, but sought to stand out by introducing handwritten type alongside whimsical illustrations that echoed the rustic, DIY aesthetic of greenmarkets.
A visual analysis of Greenmarket Grocery’s competitors
Brand Influences and Visual Style
I was inspired by the natural, rustic tones that permeate greenmarkets as well as the sense of community amongst shoppers and vendors alike. The tents and handwritten signs make the stalls feel very local and personal — a stark contrast to traditional grocery stores. Greenmarket Grocery sought to replicate the community-based, handcrafted energy that makes greenmarkets so appealing and inviting. In the comparative analysis, I noticed that many brands featured fairly simple word marks and packaging and utilized earthy tones. I took this into consideration when constructing Greenmarket Grocery’s visual identity, but sought to stand out by introducing handwritten type alongside whimsical illustrations that echoed the rustic, DIY aesthetic of greenmarkets. I curated inspirational imagery, including the images below, and referenced them throughout the design process.
Logo Design
Drawing from the above images, it seemed most fitting that the brand logo should feature some elements of hand lettering/hand-illustration and signage to visually connect Greenmarket Grocery to the greenmarket environment. Doing so would, in turn, evoke the feelings and emotions associated with greenmarkets amongst potential shoppers and encourage a more emotional connection with the brand.
Logo Sketches
The below sketches demonstrate a variety of approaches (pictorial, letter-symbol, and wordmark possibilities), though most harken back to the hand-drawn and/or banner aesthetic.
Logo Refinements
From the sketches, I narrowed the logos down to two refined directions. Concept 1 alludes to the greenmarket environment with its banner graphic and hand-written typeface. Concept 2 incorporates digitized hand-lettering, a nod to the hand-crafted signs and labels that pepper bustling greenmarkets.
Ultimately, I decided on Concept 1 because I felt the banner lockup was more authoritative and memorable. It also draws a more direct parallel to the greenmarket environment, which encompasses unique banners and signs adorning each both. Because the banner’s handwritten typeface isn’t overly decorative, the logo remained clean and legible while still maintaining the DIY energy of a true greenmarket. Since the target audience included individuals with at least some disposable income, this cleaner logo was preferred as it was felt to be evocative of a higher end product or service.
Logo Concept 1
Logo Concept 2
Color
It was important that the primary brand colors echoed the organic, rustic colors of a greenmarket. Glancing back at the initial inspiration photos, I was drawn to the browns of the natural wood displays and signage. I was similarly drawn to the varying tones of green amongst the produce. For the logo and brand colors, I chose Pantone Black 5 U, a cool-toned brown that would contrast adequately against light backgrounds. For the second color, I chose Pantone 349U, a forest green, to complement the brown. This tone, especially at various tints, was quite versatile, evoking the natural variation of color in leaves and produce.
Pantone Black 5 U
Pantone 349 U
Pantone 349 U (45% tint)
Logo with Color
The finished logo uses Pantone 349 U with the banner at a 45% tint. Of note, when the logo appears on a natural paper surface (i.e., cardboard), the logo is set in one solid color (either solid black or 349 U at 100%) with the text knocked out (revealing the object it’s printed on). This can be seen on activations including the delivery box and the pastry bag.
