Retro Swimclub Branding
Create a graphic identity for an Austin swim club complete with shuffleboard.
Project Brief
You have been tasked with designing a brand and graphics for a new swim club in Austin, Texas, called Vintage Vibe. The swim club has been designed by Commune Design and features modern, retro-inspired facilities including pools, a restaurant, and a shuffleboard court. The owners of Vintage Vibe were inspired by the success of similar ventures like Lylo Swimclub in Phoenix and the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs.
The owners have expressed an interest in a "retro" style for the logo and brand, but have also emphasized that they want it to be fun without being cheesy. Vintage Vibe aims to provide a body positive and community-focused experience for its customers, and will host local food trucks and events to connect with the community and the tourism industry.
Your task as the designer includes creating a logo and brand guide that reflects the swim club's retro theme, design a sign for the building, designing a website, developing menus for food and drinks, and creating merchandising items such as towels and beach bags.
Drink Menu Items
- Margarita - Tequila, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, Salt Rim
- Paloma - Tequila, Grapefruit Soda, Lime Juice
- Mojito - Rum, Mint, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Club Soda
- Old Fashioned - Whiskey, Bitters, Simple Syrup, Orange Peel
- Negroni - Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Orange Peel
- Aperol Spritz - Aperol, Prosecco, Soda Water, Orange Slice
- Moscow Mule - Vodka, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer
- Dark & Stormy - Rum, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer
- Pina Colada - Rum, Pineapple Juice, Coconut Cream
- Sex on the Beach - Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice
Poolside Food Menu Items
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers - Marinated shrimp grilled to perfection, served with a zesty dipping sauce.
- Avocado Toast - Toasted bread topped with fresh avocado, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.
- Classic Burger - A juicy beef patty, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on a brioche bun. Served with fries.
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad - Grilled chicken breast, fresh romaine lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, croutons, and a creamy Caesar dressing.
- Margherita Pizza - Fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil on a crispy thin crust.
- Veggie Wrap - A delicious wrap filled with hummus, cucumber, tomato, avocado, and mixed greens.
Reference Video
Reference Images
IMAGE CREDITS
Feature Image: Michał Mancewicz
Reference Images: 1: YesMore Content, 2: Phoenix New Times, 3: Pure Green Magazine, 4: YesMore Content, : Paulo Almeida, 6: Toni Cuenca
Target Audience
Stuff To Create
Below is a list of suggested deliverables that could be created.
The logo design for the swim club should embody the brand's attitude and draw inspiration from its roots. The client desires a retro-style logo that is both fun and avoids being tacky.
- The logo design should be kept simple and use only a few colors.
- Both a light and dark version of the logo should be created to accommodate different backgrounds.
- The brand guide should include a comprehensive color selection, guidelines for image style and usage, font selection, and examples of how to convey the brand's message.
Your task is to design mockups for a building sign that will be placed near the entrance of the building, based on the logo. The sign should be between 5 to 8 feet wide and visually striking to attract attention. Consider the lighting options for the sign, which can be externally lit using uplights or spotlights, or self-illuminated using neon or LEDs.
Create a marketing website for the swim club that showcases its features and entices visitors to come and enjoy themselves. The website should consist of a stunning homepage that captures the spirit of Vintage Vibe, and informative pages dedicated to the club's facilities, including the restaurant, decks, pools, and shuffleboard court.
In addition, the website should include a page displaying menus for food and drinks, as well as, an upcoming events page to inform visitors about upcoming events and encourage participation.
To maximize engagement, the website should have a clear and user-friendly layout, and allow visitors to make reservations or get in touch with the club.
Your task is to design one or two menus for the swim club's restaurant and bar, showcasing their food and drinks offerings. The menu material should be durable and able to withstand exposure to the sun and water splashes, without feeling flimsy or cheap.
Furthermore, as Vintage Vibe plans to stay open late into the night, it's important to design menus that are easy to read even as the sun goes down. Consider using clear, large font sizes and contrast to ensure legibility in low-light conditions. By creating menus that are both visually appealing and practical, you can enhance the overall dining experience for guests at Vintage Vibe.
The owners have expressed interest in providing customers with branded pool towels and other items (of your choosing) that they can take home as souvenirs. They have requested that they feature the Vintage Vibe logo, however, they also want each item to have its own unique design or style, so that they are not all identical.
helpful bits
Whether your tasked with creating a new logo or refining an existing logo, here are a few things to remember:
- Understand the brand: A logo should accurately represent the brand and its values. Before creating or refining a logo, take the time to understand the brand, its target audience, and its values.
- Keep it simple and timeless: A good logo should be simple, easy to recognize, and timeless. Avoid complex designs and trendy elements that may quickly become outdated.
- Consider scalability and versatility: Your logo should be easily scalable, meaning it can be resized without losing its quality or legibility. It should also be versatile enough to be used across different mediums, from business cards to billboards.
If you're working on a lock-up with another company's logo, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Keep the balance: A lock-up is a combination of two logos used together in a design. When doing a lock-up with another company's logo, make sure the design is balanced and visually appealing. Avoid overpowering one logo with the other.
- Maintain brand consistency: A lock-up should maintain the brand identity of both companies. Make sure the colors, fonts, and overall design of the lock-up aligns with both companies' brand guidelines.
- Consider the target audience: The lock-up should be tailored to the target audience of both companies. Make sure the lock-up resonates with the audience and conveys the intended message.
- Organize The Menu: The menu should be well-organized and easy to navigate. Group similar items together and consider arranging items in order of popularity, price, or category to make it easier for customers.
- Include Creative Visuals: Incorporate brand-related photographs or illustrations of the drinks to entice customers and make your menu more visually appealing. Consider using a consistent style and color scheme to create a cohesive look throughout your menu.
- Highlight your signature items: Use design elements such as colors, fonts, and graphics to highlight your restaurant's signature dishes or drinks.
- Consider readability: Use fonts that are easy to read, especially for customers with visual impairments or in low-light settings. Avoid using fonts that are too small or decorative, and use contrasting colors to make the text stand out.
When designing a building or retail sign, here are some key factors to consider:
- Visibility: The sign should be visible from a distance and in different lighting conditions. Consider the sign's size, location, and contrast with the background to make sure it stands out and is easy to read.
- Legibility: The sign should be easy to read and understand, even at a glance. Use clear fonts and avoid overly decorative or intricate designs that could be hard to read.
- Branding: The sign should reflect the company's brand and its values. Incorporate the brand's colors, fonts, and imagery into the design to create a cohesive and recognizable look.
- Material and maintenance: Choose durable and weather-resistant materials that can withstand the elements and require minimal maintenance. This isn't as critical for this mock project, but is good to know for the future.
- Keep it simple: Swag designs should be simple, easy to read, and instantly recognizable. Avoid clutter and complex designs that can make the message or branding difficult to see.
- Make it memorable: Swag should be memorable and make an impact. Consider using a bold or unusual color scheme, unique design elements, or an unexpected brand messaging.
- Keep your branding consistent: Your swag should be consistent with your brand's overall visual identity. Use enough aspects of your brand's colors, fonts, and design elements to create a cohesive look and feel that supports your brand messaging.
Well designed websites need to consider many devices and screen widths. In order to show stakeholders what a website will look like on a desktop or laptop, tablet, and mobile device, designers typically use "breakpoints" for each group.
- Wide Desktop: > 1281px
- Standard Desktop: 992px - 1280px
- Tablet: 991px - 768px
- Mobile Landscape: 767px - 480px
- Mobile Portrait: < 479px
Stuff To Practice
Each creative brief is crafted to help you refine some crucial abilities and skills of any marketing or brand designer.
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