Background
CafePress, a privately-owned company that launched in 1999, is now the leader in user-generated commerce with an annual growth rate of over 60%. Their community of 6.5 million users gather online to create, sell, and buy "print on-demand" products. With approximately 2,000 new, independent shops joining the network each day and 11 million unique visitors a month, CafePress enables people to run their own shops and earn money while leaving the details of doing business online to CafePress.
Challenge
As CafePress grew from a "scrappy company" into the market leader of a burgeoning global industry, they wanted to make sure they built cohesive brand strategy that remained fun and stayed true to themselves and their users. We were engaged to create a brand identity system that both the company and the CafePress community would embrace.
Solution
Beginning with the creation of a Visual Tolerance exercise, we were able to align with the CEO's vision of the company. Using images to represent the contents of the brand platform and the CafePress community, clear visual parameters were established
We then created an identity system that reflected the diversity and colorful qualities of CafePress and its users. One of the goals was to develop a system that highlighted the users and their creativity. Our textured logo reflects the hands-on nature of the user's work and the spontaneity of creativity. With a robust color palette and illustrative icons, a visual language was formed to enhance the brand's connection with its users through the Web, packaging, and print.
Creating Change
Looking to align CafePress business procedures and practices with its culture, we engaged them in a conversation about sustainable packaging. Although CafePress was using materials made of mostly recycled materials, the packaging itself wasn't recyclable. We created a Sustainable Packaging Best Practices Guideline that provided them with goals, targets, and processes for sourcing and production. As a result, CafePress decided to upgrade their most common packaging—a polyurethane bag that was made of recycled material, but wasn't recyclable itself—to a bag that is now not only made of recycled material, but is also 100% recyclable.
Results
The introduction of the brand was instantly embraced by the CafePress teams. Once launched on the website, the community was immediately buzzing about the new logo and updated website. Our client even took it a step further by creating a Brand Video that came out of the Brand Story we created for them. It was launched internally, but now lives proudly on their site to celebrate their beginnings and the community they have developed.
Stakeholder Interviews
Touchpoint Analysis
Competitive Audit
Brand Story
Corporate Identity
Brand Identity System
Collateral System
Standards Development
Package Design Prototypes
Sustainable Packaging Recommendations
