Discovered in the heart of Sydney Australia, Gumption Coffee came about in 2013 by two brilliant women, Hazel de los Reyes and Clare Lim. With three other popular coffee shops in Australia, Gumption was the one that stood out the most. Because of their master roaster skills and fresh beans from across the world, Gumption moved to the Big Apple. Fast forward to 2018 and Gumption Coffee is still blooming. With its online coffee selections and two outposts scattered around New York, their new identity logo, designed by Lippincott, has brought the pure essence of Gumption Coffee to people everywhere.
From Hazel’s humble origins of brewing coffee from a rewired popcorn machine to eventually being named Australian Barista Champion and Australian Cupping Champion, Gumption is a story of ingenuity, tenacity, and boldness. We began crafting the brand’s strategy through this ethos, positioning Gumption Coffee as the secret weapon for the spirited, amplifying, and unleashing that little voice already inside all of us to take on the world.
(Lippincott Project Page)
When I think about the ethos of a brand or logo, I usually think of the community that created it in the first place. I think of the hard work and dedication that these people have emotionally and mentally gone through to make this company mean something to someone. What I appreciate about the new logo is that it resembles and symbolizes the inner gumption or spirit that this brand gives to its customers. The old logo is too typical, bubbly, all caps, minimalistic typeface that doesn’t make me feel anything; therefore it’s not capturing or memorable at all. People want to be intrigued in a way that is going to make them feel something. When I look at Gumption’s old logo all I notice is a dark, flared serif that is overwhelming and only interesting with its first two letters. But to be completely honest, the main reason I dislike the old logo is how typical it feels; every coffee shop has a black and white logo. I get tired of looking at everyday things and I want to feel something other than the stereotypical trendy vibes.
The new visual toolkit is designed to be eye-catching and inclusive. The brand voice, inspired by the brand purpose, is energetic, edgy, and clever. Think signage, comic walls, packaging, and everything with a smile. The custom logotype, made in collaboration with type foundry Typozon, retains the brand’s quirkiness while elevating it to signal premium coffee and expertise. The negative spaces in the G and the O resemble milk swirling into coffee and symbolize the inner “gumption” that the brand’s coffee gives to its customers.
(Lippincott Project Page)
The new Gumption logo excites me. It’s refreshing and inviting to look at because it consists of another color that isn’t black or white. The logo is bright, eyecatching, and not what I was expecting to be for a coffee shop. The red speaks boldness and fearlessness, while the entire color palette invites people to come and feel comfortable. Along with the logotype, Typozon, and its colors, I get the sense that I now want to read comic books back in the 70s or 80s; it makes me want to go out and buy more brightly colored pants or doc martens. Because the subtitle “coffee” isn’t designed with the same logotype, it makes it feel kept together and professional; therefore, I don’t dislike it or like it completely, but I’m curious to see what it looks like without it completely. I also like how the logo can be broken down into two parts, but maintain a sense of unity and quirkiness.
The brand’s voice has always been pretty clear to me. Gumption is inspired by its history of hard work and is determined to bring energy, edge, light, and a breath of fresh air to a commonplace in New York City. With the help of its energetic and yet sophisticated colors, their patterns symbolize the journey of Gumption where everything began on a farm in Sydney, Australia. From small leaves to the beans that make the coffee, it all comes together to make a perfect identity system. Although the patterns are vibrant and festive, the packaging reminds me of the Holiday season just a little bit, but specifically, the teal and red combined. To add to the pattern dilemma, I don’t particularly like the strokes because it takes away from the pattern itself and is a bit distracting. When I look at each pattern my eyes go straight to the stroke and that shouldn’t be the case. Instead, I should be acknowledging what each pattern is exactly.
As for the interior design that includes comic book posters, I get the sense of the late 1970s and 80s again. It’s very fun, bright, energetic, and inclusive. However, the flooring is very odd and feels out of place when compared to Gumptions patterns and overall brand; it’s hectic, too bright, and just too overwhelming and I don’t like looking at it. As harsh as it may sound, I’m disappointed in the overall interior because Gumption has such a memorable and special history and it didn’t serve its justice.
Overall, I absolutely love and admire the story behind Gumption Coffee. I appreciate how they strategically used their ethos for the spirited and successfully unleashed and amplified the little voice that is in all of us. As someone who didn’t properly know what “gumption” meant, I was happy to realize that the definition of it truly does mean “spirited initiative.” I’m also very pleased to announce that they nailed that exact definition of gumption on the button by how they designed and created their logo.
Source:
“The Swirl Next Door.” https://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_and_identity_for_gumption_coffee_by_lippincott.php
