GODLUCK Coffee Brand Identity: Two Feathers That Form a Coffee Bean

Two feathers that form a coffee bean

Xinming Design created the brand identity of GODLUCK COFFEE, an independent coffee brand in Chongqing. The logo is a gold coffee bean: the S shaped crease down its middle divides it into two halves, and each half is a curved feather. Two feathers form one coffee bean. The brand line is A cup of luck. The identity is built on black and gold, with roses and birds in the style of copperplate engravings, and runs from business cards, notebooks, coffee cups and packaging to the store sign and walls.

A coffee brand called luck

The name GODLUCK holds two words, GOD and LUCK, and sounds close to "good luck". The brand line A cup of luck says it even more directly: every cup of coffee is a cup of luck.

The project set two directions at the same time:

· Luck: hope, blessing, a turn of fortune;

· Dark aesthetics: deep colours, mystery and weight.

The two directions seem to pull apart, one light and one heavy.

So the logo had to answer: how can luck be drawn into a coffee bean without making it feel lightweight?

Feathers and a coffee bean

The logo layers two ideas:

· Feathers: in many cultures, a feather is a sign of luck, blessing and freedom. The logo uses two feathers curving inward;

· Coffee bean: placed face to face, the two feathers form the outline of a coffee bean, and the gap between them is the crease.

The feathers are luck; the bean is coffee. The lightness of a feather and the strength of coffee sit in one figure.

The logo is set in gold with serif capitals for GOD LUCK and COFFEE and a script A cup of luck, forming a stacked lockup.

A set of badges

Beyond the main lockup, the logo extends into a set of badges for cups, stickers, tape and packaging:

· Round seal: a handwritten "luck" inside the ring GOD LUCK, COFFEE, A Cup of Luck;

· Feather bean badge: the logo under an arc of A CUP OF LUCK;

· Diamond badge and rectangular wordmark: carrying GOD LUCK COFFEE and ENJOY DIY;

· Monogram: G & C, used on cups.

Black and gold, roses and birds

The identity is built on black and gold: black is the ground, and gold is the logo, type and line work.

The supporting graphics are roses, leaves and birds in the style of copperplate engravings, in black, white and grey, spread across business cards, wrapping paper, cups and plates. On the posters, large gold capitals G, L and C are wrapped in roses and birds, beside a handwritten A cup of luck.

This combination sets GODLUCK apart from the usual coffee shop: not fresh and airy, not Nordic minimal, but deeper, quieter and a little mysterious.

From business cards to the store

Brand materials

· Business cards, name badge, notebook, wrapping paper

Products and packaging

· Coffee cups in several designs, paper tape, stickers, badges, takeaway boxes, pastry bags, plates

Communication and space

· Posters (the G, L and C series), coffee van livery

· Store: an illuminated gold sign GODLUCK COFFEE, line drawings of birds and leaves on the walls, menu boards

The material images on this page are proposal-stage mock-ups, and the names on the business cards and name badge are placeholders; the photographs of the store and baristas were taken in the store.

Deliverables and extensions

Logo design

· GODLUCK logo (a coffee bean made of two feathers)

· Main lockup (GOD LUCK COFFEE with A cup of luck)

· Badge series: round seal, feather bean badge, diamond badge, rectangular wordmark, G & C monogram

Core identity

· Colours: black and gold

· Supporting graphics: roses, leaves and birds in the style of copperplate engravings

· Brand line: A cup of luck

Applications

· Brand materials: business cards, name badge, notebook, wrapping paper

· Products and packaging: coffee cups, paper tape, stickers, badges, takeaway boxes, pastry bags, plates

· Communication and space: posters, coffee van livery, store sign and walls

Looking back

Three points are worth taking from this project:

1. Find the figure in the name. The name means luck and the line is a cup of luck, so the logo turns a feather, a sign of luck, into a coffee bean.

2. Let one strong tone unify every touchpoint. Black and gold, roses and birds carry the same mood from a business card to a whole wall.

3. Badges extend the logo. A set of badges lets the logo appear on lids, stickers and tape, so the brand is recognisable even in the smallest places.

A coffee logo can simply be a bean; it can also let that bean tell one more story.

How to verify

· Client: 高乐克餐饮有限公司

· Brand: GODLUCK COFFEE (Chongqing)

· This case page: www.xinming.sg/en/portfolio/3150.html

Further reading

· Habotu Coffee Brand Identity: A Coffee Bean Split into Two Rabbit Ears (www.xinming.sg/en/portfolio/3154.html)

· Xijiang Jinpu Brand Identity: A Seal That Holds the Characters 玺 and 金 (www.xinming.sg/en/portfolio/3075.html)

· Honeymoon Bay Brand Identity: A Carnation That Turns into a Dancer (www.xinming.sg/en/portfolio/3087.html)

FAQ

Who designed the GODLUCK Coffee logo?

The logo and visual identity of GODLUCK COFFEE, a coffee brand in Chongqing, were designed by Xinming Design for 高乐克餐饮有限公司.

What does the GODLUCK logo mean?

The logo is a gold coffee bean made of two curved feathers. The feathers stand for luck and blessing, and the bean for the product, matching the brand line A cup of luck.

What is the GODLUCK brand line?

A cup of luck.

What are the GODLUCK brand colours?

Black and gold. Black is the ground, gold is used for the logo, type and line work, and the supporting graphics are roses and birds in black, white and grey, in the style of copperplate engravings.

What did the project include?

The logo and main lockup, a set of badges, the black and gold palette with engraving style graphics, and applications including business cards, coffee cups, packaging, posters, a coffee van and the store sign.

Which brands can learn from this case?

Independent coffee shops and bakeries; food and beverage brands that want a character beyond the fresh or minimal look; and new brands whose names carry a meaning that can be drawn into the logo.

Xinming Design is a brand systems design firm. Its work centres on systematic judgment, turning brand strategy into structures that can run and be inherited. www.xinming.sg