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Cactification

Role: Designer | At: Lansing Community College | Class: Branding
Time Frame: January - April 2019 

Project Overview

1. Design Brief
2. Initial Research & Sketches
3. Iterations
4. Branding Materials 

 

A black t-shirt mockup with the Cactification logo centered
A design brief mockup with text on the left and 9 pictures that inspire the feel of the company to the right.

1. Design Brief
 


My first task was to create a design brief for my faux company. A company profile, objective, target market, and budget were included in the design brief. A mood board of imagery was also placed into the design brief to give the project direction.

My idea was to create a plant nursery specializing in drought tolerant plants that could also serve as a source of income if grown commercially in marginalized communities. 

The objective was to rebrand the "preexisting company" and increase online presence across social platforms and to spread general education of the importance and value of cacti.

I defined my target market as individuals/communities concerned with environment impact on agriculture and natural resources and succulent and cacti collectors/hobbyists. 

Design Brief
 

2. Initial Research & Sketches
 

Differety typography for the name "Cactification" and brief notes on cacti in general.

Idea Board
 

I started my initial research with notes about cactus plant biology and typography. Lightly researching cacti helped generate ideas to symbolize the company in a logo.

A cream colored page with cacti sketches in pencil

Sketches 1
 

A cream colored page with cacti sketches in pencil

Sketches 2
 

A cream colored page with cacti sketches in pencil

Sketches 3
 

Uncensored sketching allowed me to think through how different shapes and forms would interact with each other. I started with an overcomplicated design, and as time went on I further simplified the forms.

3. Iterations

Next I took the sketches I wanted to further pursue into Illustrator.

Iterations 1

Iterations 2

I played with different backgrounds, line thickness, typography and color palette until I felt I had landed on a logo that perfectly encapsulated Cactification. 

A logo that looks like a cactuss with two borders in bright pink and orange surrounding a green cactus.

Final Cactification Logo
 

4. Branding Materials

Marketing materials were created so I could study how Cactification branding would be utilized. I made a magazine advertizement, a monthly subscription box,  a tote bag, and an instagram ad. 

Magazine ad with the title "buy a houseplant, support a community".

Magazine Ad

A subscription box with the logo on the top and cacti photos surrounding all sides. Says "May 2019".

Subscription Box

A white tote bag with the Cactification logo centered

Totebag

Instagram mockp advertising a Cactification subscription box

Instagram Ad

Cactification was my first deep dive into branding.  I learned to think about how branding materials would be used in print and digital spaces and how to keep branding consistent across those spaces through use of color conversions (RGB vs CMYK), typography and imagery; skills I've used daily in my career.

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