Serendipity Tea Company
Commissioned by small business owner Adrian Bronson, the STC brand focused heavily on the key attributes of the product and company: Quality, Value, and Conscience. Thus it was that the brand was made to reflect the organic nature of the product – using rich hues of brown and green throughout to give a sense of the natural.
The rich history of the tea trade was important to the company's owner, but he wanted to avoid an outdated look. To this end, the round "stamp" style of logo and serif font were used to give a sense of classic elegance, while the illustration of tea leaf breaking through the border of the circle gave a sense of depth and an element of modern style.
The dark green was sampled from a freshly picked tea leaf and represents the freshness and vitality of the tea itself, while the brown evokes thought of the rich soil in which the plants were grown. All together it is meant to give the sense of quality and health.
The business card was designed to be visually interesting and distinctive, while further emphasizing the natural, organic theme of the product.
The letterhead and envelope continue the style of the brand without sacrificing legibility.
A brochure was developed to hand out at tea fairs to present information about the company, its products and its practices.
Photography by Sherri Morrison Photography, Vancouver.
Due to low volume, package labels were printed separately and applied by hand to foil/plastic pouches. A consistent look was needed across the spectrum of flavours, but each flavour needed to be easily identified. To that end, a distinct colour was chosen for each flavour and applied to the title and outer edge of label. The end result was a package that stood out on the shelf, was consistent with the overall brand — a clean, asymmetrical design with classic elements, and where individual flavours could easily be identified at a glance.
The remaining assortment of flavours: Jasmine(light lavender); Kansai Cherry(Pink); Moroccan Mint(Mint Green); Nepalese Cinnamon(Light Brown); Masala Chai(Red); and Earl Grey(Grey-Blue).
The display box served the duel purpose of aiding in efficient shipping/storage, as well as a convenient way of displaying the product on store shelves. The Great Little Box Company, of Victoria, designed the shape of the box and the brand was applied to that – an interesting challenge given the limited colour and line screen options available.
When the client decided to market directly to restaurant and cafe owners, he requested an information card be made which detailed the different flavours and pricing. In an attempt to present the information in a meaningful and visually appealing manor, the image of the different flavours shaped as steam rising from the company logo was applied.
As part of in-store marketing, the client ordered a small stand which would inform potential customers of the details and importance of Fair Trade and USDA Organic certification.
A frequent participant at the numerous fairs and conventions in Victoria, the owner ordered a table-top banner be made to attract attention.
