DELICIOUS|BRANDING
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL|KUZA CHOCOLATE
by Michael Coady of Kuza Chocolates
When we first started thinking about developing an identity for KUZA there were a number of issues to deal with. In terms of product, we fall into two very distinct categories; that of artisan chocolate maker and that of CBD provider. We needed a look that encapsulated both of these concepts in a way that portrayed an image of a company that is serious about providing high quality, sophisticated products, aligned with a backstory that creates intrigue and a desire in the customer to look deeper. All this at a glance.
I was familiar with Colin’s work and was sure he was the right person for the job. We started with a short brief and pretty soon we had the logo nailed; first attempt I believe. We had 2 designs prepared, Kuza+ for our CBD range and developed an alternative for any future recreational markets that may open.
From there came the wrapper designs. This took a little bit longer but I feel that that was more to do with having too strong a brief. Colin had produced some beautiful designs and while we felt they were perfect for the health and wellbeing industry, we were looking to stand out a little more atistically than we had initially briefed.
For the second attempt we gave Colin full artistic licence and within the deadline we had a whole range designed and ready to go. Colin applied a design recipe across the range which contained 5 graphical ingredients. First, The Cacao Pod, the basis of the chocolate itself. Second, a Geographical Anchor from the ingredients origin, be that The Himalaya where our salt is sourced, The Ceylon temple for our Ceylon cinnamon and orange or The Taj Mahal for our Indian Chilli. Third, our Spirit Animals which are also native to our ingredients origins. Fourth, a surrounding design for our third and fourth elements made up of either The Flowers from our ingredients plants, or in the case of our Salt bar the Crescent Moon and Star from the Pakistan flag, the origin country of our salt. Finally, our frame of Logo, Typography and logo elements, The K and The Plus Symbol.
Throughout the process Colin felt like a fully engaged member of the team, taking an active role in developing the overall concept of the brand as well as drawing on his extensive experience in the industry to offer up suggestions, not just for the design, but also contributing to the overall narrative with ideas for straplines such as “Cannabis Confectionery Couture”, section headings such as “Kuza Care” and other valuable marketing tools. As a result of this level of engagement the whole process was quick, fun and great value.
I sincerely believe that KUZA would not be the brand it is today without the knowledge, skill and input Colin provided all throughout our growth but particularly in the beginning. We feel at KUZA that we now have a strong and unique visual identity, one that is flexible and easily integrated into whatever medium we choose to use. Whether you like what we do or not, there’s one thing for sure, there’s a beauty in our design that can’t be ignored.
Michael Coady
Kuza Chocolates