Café In is a small neighborhood café in New Jersey, specializing in coffee, tea, and other baked goods. The café is focused on providing for the town’s residents and newcomers to ultimately create a comfortable space for all. Despite it being attached next to a digital golf range, the owners seek to build a new identity for the cafe for it to become its own standalone brand. 

The branding project for Café In aimed to be simple and straightforward yet playful. Hand drawn illustrations were used to evoke the feeling of familiarity. Each icon was drawn with a crayon-like quality and texture that matched the brand’s logo. It was important for the illustrations to serve a purpose while also creating dynamic visuals as seen on the drink menu. Illustrating what goes into a drink allows for customers to understand what they’re consuming while encouraging them to learn more about certain beverages. 

For the typography, the font Gaegu was used to create an interesting contrast with the rugged texture of the illustrations. With a smooth and bouncy typeface, it was able to unify the brand’s visuals. 

The chosen colors weren’t too bright or overwhelming, but rather muted and warm. This specific shade of blue was chosen to be the cafe’s primary color to reflect their goal of creating a relaxing and welcoming space. During the rebranding process there was an emphasis on community, authenticity, and comfort.