Visual Identity Case Study - East Street Cider Co.

WRITTEN BY: Roger McDonald

A strong visual identity is quintessential in standing out in a competitive market. However, creating such a compelling and recognizable brand isn’t as easy as it sounds. Luckily, East Street Cider Co. found themselves in good hands when they hired Queenstown, New Zealand’s Make Bardo to create a stand-out visual identity.

According to Make Bardo, East Street’s cider “honours the entrepreneurs who have practiced their craft within these same walls since 1856. Their vision is to create ciders worthy of the heritage and fortitude of their historic building and the community within which it is located.”

Bardo says East Street wanted a classic, simple design with casual elegance. The task of creating something simple and elegant, but still bold enough to stand out in a highly competitive, saturated market is quite the challenge.

Obviously, Make Bardo didn’t take the challenge lightly.

Creating A Non-Binary Visual Identity

The client had very few specific requirements, giving Make Bardo creative freedom to craft the perfect visual identity. One provision, however, was for the brand to be non-binary in its approach with a minimum of “some colour.”

The color palette, composed of inviting shades of blue and yellow, creates a perfect gender-non-specific brand. This visual identity appeals to all audiences without “creating more rules” concerning antiquated gender definitions.

Interestingly, Bardo says that they directly presented these colors in their first presentation. The client did request to see other color palettes, but they quickly saw the brilliance of Bardo’s initial choices. The colors are the perfect pairing.

The thought process behind the color choices are simple: They are a rare color-combination in the market, and they move away from the “cliché palettes generally used for ciders.”

Building a Brand, Brick By Brick

According to Make Bardo, “The building is important to the brand story and also a source of pride for the family.” Because of this, the design had to incorporate the historic building.

One of Make Bardo’s favorite parts about projects like this is the human experiences gained alongside professional ones. Bardo says they love diving into different industries and experimenting with “creating solutions through design.”

East Street Cider Co.’s visual identity had to express an elegant-yet-inviting, authentic family brand. Using different brick-size patterns, Bardo crafted continuous building illustration pattern and a unique master-logomark. These designs feel fresh, unique, and bold while remaining classic and tasteful.

Make Bardo

Make Bardo is a creative design studio based in Queenstown, New Zealand. The studio practices contemporary visual communication specializing in brand identities, packaging design and wayfinding systems for national and international clients.

Their work for East Street Cider Co., creating an impressively-unique visual identity, was no small feat. In fact, it proves that Make Bardo’s passion and dedication for the craft pays off.

“We believe that we’ve achieved a unique design who gives a bold personality to the brand, not only to be recognized but also to be remembered.”