Creative Brief for Visual Brand Identity
Background
The retail wine market is filled with noise. There are many apps and blogs in this space, many self-proclaimed wine ‘experts’ in the market and a lot of misinformation and confusion. The category is extremely fragmented and complex, with thousands of wines produced in hundreds of regions around the world. Traditionally, expert ratings have been a key influencer for uninformed consumers to help them make choices. Our approach is to deliver a fact-based approach to matching profiles of consumers with profiles of wine. That’s My Wine is a mobile application that can also operate on tablets and laptops. The primary success factor for this business is consumer adoption and retention. Specifically, we need to create a user experience that is as compelling as possible – one that encourages consumers to try the app, continue using the app, and tell their friends about the app. The brand identity and how that translates to the user interface is a critical component if we are going to be a successful company.
Project Deliverables
The basic elements of a branding style guide including:
- mobile App Icon
- wordmark/logo for That’s My Wine (being a startup, we need to have a literal identity around our name)
- recommended type face to be used throughout the app for headings as well as body copy
- business card and investor powerpoint template
- color palate and graphic elements that tie the above components together and serve as an identity that can be carried throughout the application.
- wordmark/logo for That’s My Wine (being a startup, we need to have a literal identity around our name)
- recommended type face to be used throughout the app for headings as well as body copy
- business card and investor powerpoint template
- color palate and graphic elements that tie the above components together and serve as an identity that can be carried throughout the application.
Product Summary and Value Proposition
That's My Wine is a mobile application that will transform how consumers select and appreciate. The application is a data-driven taste profiling tool that directs the user to the ‘right’ wine, as determined by their palate preferences. That’s My Wine is powered by a proprietary algorithm and wine database that creates recommendations based on quantitative data, not wine critic ratings or opinions. First, the app enables consumers to create a unique profile of their taste preferences and sensitivities -- a ‘palate profile.’ The app then taps into a proprietary database where each individual wine has its own profile derived through key factors such as grape characteristics, wine structure, style, and tasting notes. A recommendation is generated when palate profile and wine profile data are run through a matching algorithm. The algorithm is dynamic, which means it will modify its recommendations as more data is entered by the user (e.g. to consider food pairing, occasion or even mood). Although the mathematics behind the recommendation engine are very complex (including fuzzy logic and Bayesian statistics), what the user sees is an app that fun, informative and easy to use. The app is built to share information and has a social media component. In addition, the app provides useful information and educational tips provided through the app’s exclusive relationship with the American Wine School.
Value Proposition and Business Model
Initially, That's My Wine is looking to provide their solution to retailers seeking to improve customer experience at point-of-sale and increase wine purchases. That’s My Wine app gives consumers the information and confidence to try new wines that fit their taste profile. Retailers can either pay to have the That’s My Wine recommendation engine work through point-of-sale touch screens fixtures or it can be offered as a full-service app that operates through the consumer’s tablet or smart phone. Because That’s My Wine captures user information, it can also be used to send marketing communications from the retailer back to the consumer via their mobile device, thereby engaging the consumer long after they have left the store. For the retailer, that helps create loyalty and reduce consumer confusion at point of sale without having to add staff. Over time, once usage of the app reaches a critical scale, other revenue streams will be pursued (e.g. wine producers paying for sponsorships, data, and/or recommendation ranking).
User Target Audience
The app is targeted to both male and female consumers (boutique wine stores will likely skew a bit male, grocery store will likely skew female). Men typically spend more on wine than women and the industry recognizes men as a marketing opportunity for sales growth. Users will range in age from age 25 to 65, with an emphasis on age 25-40. Consumers age 21-25 typically don’t seek input on wines and are more spontaneous purchasers. Beyond age 25, consumers become more desirous of tools to point them in the right direction.
We are focused on the Wine Novice who has limited understanding of wines but an interest to learn more. They can be intimidated by the wine purchase process. They have a strong aversion to wine snobbery and do not like feeling ‘stupid’ about wine. Hence, they are often shy about asking questions so as not to appear uninformed. Therefore, they are extremely influenced by wine labels when making a purchase. Importantly, the graphic appearance of the label can either be a huge deterrent (e.g. complex, wordy French labels, German labels with impossible to pronounce words) or highly inviting (e.g. Red Bicycle Chardonnay, Fat Bastard Shiraz, Butterfly Riesling).
The Wine Novice views wine as something to enjoy socially. Wine with food wine is an obvious driver of purchase. As a Wine Novice begins to learn more and experience new wines they like, they frequently become enthusiastic about their discovery and like to share their findings with family/friends. Enjoyment of wine is part of a broader lifestyle concept; it is far from being just a consumable.
Brand Personality
Inviting, approachable, social, fun, helpful, credible, trustworthy, clever. The app functions like a virtual friend who knows a lot about wine and shares information in a way that is interesting, non-threatening, engaging and ultimately focused on directing user to the right wine for them based on taste, price and occasion. It is an app the user looks forward to using because it makes buying (and learning about) wine fun and easy. Users are enthusiastic about introducing That’s My Wine to friends and family so they can become part of the That’s My Wine community.
Design Considerations
Use of a lettermark (TMW) can be considered, but we should recognize that a lettermark may complicate the branding process by having to generate awareness of TMW as a name as well as That’s My Wine. In other words, TMW cannot stand alone as it has no meaning.
In terms of imagery, identifiable shapes/objects such as wine bottles, glasses, grapes have the advantage of communicating the category, but note they are very common (possibly overused) in the category. See below.
Need to consider the graphics will ultimately be used in to markets around the globe. For now, assume use of the English wording; color, look and feel will be the aspects that will need to be consistent for other language markets.
As wine is part of a food and wine experience, we should avoid color choices that may not be consistent with the culinary world, such as black, blue, brown.
Whether abstract or literal, icons and imagery that helps place the user in the category is preferred. In other words, abstract shapes that still evoke imagery that relates to wine can help communicate the category for which the app is designed.
Design Board
