Mr.Ballermann

Case study · Brand & Web

Cottage

Date 2021
Type Brand & Marketing Site
A Cottage brand composition over a restaurant kitchen scene

Context

Cottage was building a new platform to make online ordering more accessible to independent food businesses. Their goal: a product built specifically for small kitchens, not a generic e-commerce platform. In addition to their new platform, I helped their team develop a new brand with a clear story to drive the product behind it.Cottage entered the online-ordering racket on behalf of independent food businesses—the people with real kitchens, thin margins, and no patience for another bloated platform demanding tribute. I helped give it a warm, practical identity and a product story clear enough to survive the sales pitch.Small food business need online order. Cottage help. I make brand warm and product story easy.Independent food businesses deserved an ordering service of greater civility than the market commonly afforded them. I therefore gave Cottage a warm, practical identity and an account of its purpose that no sensible proprietor should be obliged to decipher twice.Cottage began with a worthy purpose: to give independent food businesses a clearer passage into online ordering. I shaped an identity with warmth enough to welcome them and a story strong enough to carry the product into the world.Independent food businesses needed better online ordering, so I made Cottage easier to understand and warmer to look at. Warmth is important in food because cold food is usually a problem, unless it is supposed to be cold. The brand knew the difference.I designed Cottage for independent food businesses that required a more accessible path to online ordering. The identity is warm, the product story is clear, and each element is performing its assigned function.

My responsibilitiesMy responsibilitiesMy responsibilitiesMy responsibilitiesMy responsibilitiesMy responsibilitiesMy responsibilities

  • Brand designBrand designBrand designBrand designBrand designBrand designBrand design
  • Website and content designWebsite and content designWebsite and content designWebsite and content designWebsite and content designWebsite and content designWebsite and content design
  • Motion directionMotion directionMotion directionMotion directionMotion directionMotion directionMotion direction

A new identity for a community-focused food platformA warm signal from the local food undergroundwarm identity modern local food.A becoming identity for the modern local tableA warm mark for food grown near at handLocal food, modern brand, warm feelingsA warm identity for local food

Brand foundation

The conceptThe proposition:The brand concept:The governing idea:The purpose at the heart of it:The big idea, which is the brand idea:Primary concept:

Bringing local food and good people together under one roof.Put the farmers and chefs in the same room.Bringing local food good people together.Uniting good people through the excellent offices of local food.Where good food passes between good hands, a community is made stronger.Bring local food and good people together. Together is the key word because apart is not together.I connect local food with the people prepared to value it.

Cottage was built on the premise of connecting local food suppliers with chefs who sell fresh, high-quality food directly to people who care about what they eat. Cottage was built to connect local farmers with chefs and move fresh food toward people who still cared what arrived on the plate.Farmer have food. Chef need food. Cottage make meet. People eat good.I designed Cottage to introduce local farmers to chefs of discernment, thereby improving the prospects of fresh food reaching those who still take an interest in what they are served.Cottage joins the farmer who tends the land with the chef who gives its harvest form. Through that bond, fresh food travels onward to those who have not forgotten that its origin matters.Cottage connects farmers with chefs so better food reaches people who care about food. Everyone in that sentence cares about food. That is what makes it a food ecosystem instead of just several hungry people.I connected local farmers with chefs so fresh, high-quality food could reach people who care about its source. Each participant can see their place in the exchange.

These elements of the farm, the kitchen, and the home were brought together to create a simple and approachable logo for a brand that embodied a modernized take on old-world charm.The brand took its warmth from the cottage industry, then cleared away the decorative fog. Nostalgia remained. Clarity took command.Feel handmade and old nice. But also clear and easy. Cozy, not clutter.The cottage industry supplied the identity with its agreeable warmth; restraint and good order prevented that affection for the past from becoming an embarrassment in the present.I drew warmth from the old tradition of small makers, then cleared the ornament from its path. What remained was simple, familiar, and ready to serve a modern purpose.The brand feels nostalgic but also clear and simple. Nostalgia means remembering the past. Clarity means understanding the present. Put them together and you have a brand that understands time.I retained the familiar warmth of the cottage industry and removed its unnecessary ornament. The result is nostalgic without being unclear. The distinction has been maintained carefully.

The identity system across product, photography, and marketing applicationsThe identity system across product, photography, and marketing applicationsThe identity system across product, photography, and marketing applicationsThe identity system across product, photography, and marketing applicationsThe identity system across product, photography, and marketing applicationsThe identity system across product, photography, and marketing applicationsThe identity system across product, photography, and marketing applications

Presenting the product with a digital storyTurning the platform into a story people might trustTurning product welcoming digital story.Presenting the product with warmth and proper clarityA welcoming tale for a new-made toolThe product story, now with a welcome matA clear and welcoming product account

Marketing website

HomepageThe front doorHomepageThe principal pageThe first thresholdHomepage, where the home page livesPrimary entry point

Selling software to people who don’t like softwareA clean entrance to a new kitchen machinesimple introduction new kind kitchen platform.A proper introduction to a novel kitchen platformA clear threshold into a new kitchen platformA simple introduction to a platform that is newA controlled introduction to the platform

Knowing most chefs are not digital natives, simplifying the software details and cutting down on tech jargon was the strategy for keeping the site relatable. The homepage blended natural stock imagery with product ui across three, easy to digest features and emphasized the story behind the product. The homepage led with the promise, moved through three product pillars, and dragged every capability back to the people Cottage was built to support. There were many features lurking in the platform, each begging for a paragraph and a small parade. We kept the story under control.Say promise. Show three big thing. Show who thing help. No extra talk.I opened with the essential promise, arranged the product beneath three orderly principles, and returned each capability to the people it was meant to assist. The platform had much to say, but no licence to monopolise the conversation.The homepage began with one promise and followed three pillars into the fuller story. Each path returned to the farmers and chefs Cottage was made to serve, so breadth never became wandering.The homepage starts with one promise, then has three pillars. Three is strong because a stool has three legs and almost never falls over. Each pillar points back to the people, which keeps the story standing.I placed the core promise first, followed by three product pillars and the people each capability serves. The complete range remains available without competing for your attention.

The marketing homepage from product promise to signupThe marketing homepage from product promise to signupThe marketing homepage from product promise to signupThe marketing homepage from product promise to signupThe marketing homepage from product promise to signupThe marketing homepage from product promise to signupThe marketing homepage from product promise to signup

UI VisualsThe story machineryWebsite systemConcerning website system.Website system, where the path begins.Website system. Important. Obviously.Website system. Confirmed.

Spicing up the UI imageryOne system to carry the whole accountOne clear system every part story.The particulars may be stated without impropriety. One clear system for every part of the storyThe way forward became clear only when the purpose was held firmly in view. One clear system for every part of the storyOne clear system for every part of the story I knew this was the answer because the other answers were less correct, which is how answers work.I determined that this was the correct course. One clear system for every part of the story Nothing essential has been left unattended.

Blending food imagery with UI showcased the product without losing the context.Feature tiles deliver the evidence fastFeature tiles introduce product glance.I offer the matter plainly, for needless mystery is seldom a recommendation: Feature tiles introduce the product at a glanceThis choice carried greater consequence than its size suggested. Feature tiles introduce the product at a glanceFeature tiles introduce the product at a glance This matters because when something matters, it should matter visibly. Otherwise people may not know it matters.I considered the requirement carefully. Feature tiles introduce the product at a glance There is no reason for you to encounter uncertainty here.

Product moments arranged as a flexible visual systemProduct moments arranged as a flexible visual systemProduct moments arranged as a flexible visual systemProduct moments arranged as a flexible visual systemProduct moments arranged as a flexible visual systemProduct moments arranged as a flexible visual systemProduct moments arranged as a flexible visual system
Long-form pages for the product’s core capabilitiesLong-form pages for the product’s core capabilitiesLong-form pages for the product’s core capabilitiesLong-form pages for the product’s core capabilitiesLong-form pages for the product’s core capabilitiesLong-form pages for the product’s core capabilitiesLong-form pages for the product’s core capabilities
Supporting pages for product value and brand purposeSupporting pages for product value and brand purposeSupporting pages for product value and brand purposeSupporting pages for product value and brand purposeSupporting pages for product value and brand purposeSupporting pages for product value and brand purposeSupporting pages for product value and brand purpose
A simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaignA simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaignA simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaignA simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaignA simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaignA simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaignA simple waitlist experience for the pre-launch campaign

Outcome

The new brand, product design and marketing site gave Cottage a full set of polished tools that helped them drive their community-first purpose. It was an ambitious project (as most startups are) and we were able to push through complex workflows to ground our work in a way that was easy to use and approachable.The identity and website established one foundation for launch: a clear account of the product with its community-first purpose still visible beneath the software. The farmers remained farmers. The chefs remained chefs. Nobody was reduced to a target segment in loafers.Brand and site work together. Product clear. Community still important. Ready launch.The particulars may be stated without impropriety. The identity and website gave Cottage a cohesive foundation that explained the product clearly while keeping its community-first purpose in view.The way forward became clear only when the purpose was held firmly in view. The identity and website gave Cottage a cohesive foundation that explained the product clearly while keeping its community-first purpose in view.The identity and website gave Cottage a cohesive foundation that explained the product clearly while keeping its community-first purpose in view. I knew this was the answer because the other answers were less correct, which is how answers work.I determined that this was the correct course. The identity and website gave Cottage a cohesive foundation that explained the product clearly while keeping its community-first purpose in view. Nothing essential has been left unattended.

ReflectionReflectionReflectionReflectionReflectionReflectionReflection

The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. The narrative gave the brand a clear direction and connected the product to its community-first purpose. I’d have liked to test whetherI’d have liked to test whetherI’d have liked to test whetherI’d have liked to test whetherI’d have liked to test whetherI’d have liked to test whetherI’d have liked to test whether that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster. that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster. that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster. that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster. that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster. that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster. that story helped communicate the software’s value, or whether a simpler explanation of its benefits helped people understand it faster.