Hovard Design

Coldwater Creek Branding and Packaging

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:41:50 -0500

Logo

In 2012, Hovard Design had the honor of redesigning the Coldwater Creek brand identity. Our goal was to update and modernize the logo while still maintaining its recognizability among loyal consumers. We started with the original logotype which had been created in 1984 based on the font Palatino.

After a series of updates and a streamlining of the font, we were able to develop a beautifully contemporary version of the classic original.

Icon

An icon is a powerful way for a brand to convey, inform and reinforce its image and personality. Icons are important because—when done right—they capture the spirit of a brand in a way that can resonate with consumers on a more visceral level than words and language. The best brand icon will surpass the brand name itself in recognition power.

For Coldwater Creek, since their brand philosophy and product lines are inspired by nature, the logical choice for us was to feature an animal icon as the brand ambassador. The addition of the company’s founding date to the icon added a sense of history to Coldwater Creek’s brand DNA.

Monogram

Beyond the new logo and icon, we felt a distinctive monogram could provide an effective sense of legacy. Also, as a signature element of branding, it can be used with various products and across many consumer touchpoints.

Packaging

The use of a signature brand color is a compelling way for a company to set itself apart in an oversaturated, highly competitive retail environment. When effectively employed, a proprietary color becomes synonymous with the brand it represents.

For Coldwater Creek, we felt the brand’s reinvention would benefit from the use of a fresh and contemporary color palette. The bright green suggests the complexion of nature itself: crisp Granny Smith apples, fresh-cut grass, the first sign of spring’s rebirth.

Accented and balanced by warm ivory, the color statement is distinctively traditional and modern. Various sizes and shapes of gift boxes and shopping bags make for a remarkable brand statement on the street, in the mall, at points of sale and at home. The addition of natural cord handles and the untraditional placement of the logo at the bottom of the packaging are details that are both subtly artful and visually interesting.

Hudson Made Digital Content

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:47:55 -0400

Hudson Made is an online retailer selling curated artisanal products from the Hudson Valley, North Country and Brooklyn. Small batches. Limited quantities. 100% American-made.

After establishing Hudson Made’s brand identity as a mixture of nostalgia with the clean simplicity of modernity, we broached the digital horizon. This involved all concept work, design, copy development, photography, and website architecture, including the implementation of a full e-commerce platform.

This platform forced us to push the boundaries of design possibilities in order to showcase our online capabilities. We used a simple color palette and contemporary design, but with a touch of distressed vintage.

The new website’s expanded features and product selection also called for an intuitive and user-friendly organization, with multiple categories and ways to navigate the site.

We are very proud to share the results.

www.hudsonmadeny.com

Creel and Gow

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:16:02 -0400

Avid collectors Jamie Creel and Christopher Gow needed a fresh brand identity as they decided to collaborate on their new store Creel and Gow, and we were excited to help.

Their boutique on the Upper East Side is a one-stop-shop for those seeking unique objects and curios from around the globe. Each item is truly  one-of-a-kind, and makes the store a perfect destination when looking for a gift for the truly discerning.

In order to achieve an identity that matched that discernment, we identified a brand color, persimmon, that embodies their opulence. The logo, packaging, and launch materials followed suit, with a modern aesthetic, but one that was achieved with materials and printing techniques from a more formal, elegant time.

The identity aims to represent Creel and Gow as effortlessly connecting old world, fine-tailored service with the modern luxury consumer.

Hudson Made Brand Identity

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:44:14 -0400

Hudson Made is an online retailer selling highly curated artisanal products from the Hudson Valley, North Country and Brooklyn. Small batches. Limited quantities. 100% American made.

Late-19th century influences of the Bates stamp and the classic practice of letterpress printing hark back to an earlier time, while maintaining the refinement and clean lines of modernity for this brand identity.

The branding also reflects Hudson Made’s emphasis on what is handmade, invoking nostalgia for a time past and a return to the simplicity of production limited to the human touch. Handmade crafts also guarantee each product’s utter uniqueness, and the impossibility of two ever being alike.

We were honored to have the packaging we developed for...

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:42:40 -0400

We were honored to have the packaging we developed for Founderscard featured on The Dieline last week. To see it in the #1 spot on their Top Ten Articles of the Week was even more exciting! Thank you to the many visitors who took the time to look at and support this project. Please click the link below to see the Top Ten Articles line up.

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2012/5/21/this-weeks-top-10-articles-on-the-dieline.html

As well below is a link for a new Crit of the Packaging by The Dieline that had us blushing.

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2012/5/22/crit-founders-card.html

The Hudson Made packaging made it into the top 10 articles of...

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:30:14 -0400

The Hudson Made packaging made it into the top 10 articles of the week on The Dieline, check it out!

When Founderscard asked us to redesign the packaging for...

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:21:00 -0400

When Founderscard asked us to redesign the packaging for delivery of their membership card to new members we were thrilled-as an invitation-only benefits and networking community, they cater to entrepreneurs and innovators around the world, allowing us to rethink the packaging and develop something ‘outside of the box’, literally.

The final design included a customized tube, insert card, mailing label and custom-designed postage stamp. One new member already noted is as “a great example of a membership package done right: the design is impeccable.”

www.founderscard.com

Also featured on The Dieline http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2012/5/11/founderscard-membership-card-packaging.html

Hudson Made is an online retailer selling highly curated...

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:33:00 -0400

Hudson Made is an online retailer selling highly curated artisanal products from the Hudson Valley, North Country and Brooklyn. Small batches. Limited quantities. 100% American made.

We were thrilled to design and develop this new project. Identity, micro-site (full commerce site to launch in Summer 2012) and the packaging for the Fancy Black Soap. The emphasis on the design is rooted in the history of the region and utility of the products the brand represents.

Typography balances modernity with heritage and incorporates digitized 19th century wood fonts.

Packaging is 2 colors, incorporates offset printing, letterpress and rubber stamp. All locally produced and sourced.

www.hudsonmadeny.com

See it featured on The Dieline http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2012/5/4/hudson-made.html

We recently had the privilege to work with Don Carpentier, Owner...

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:05:00 -0400

We recently had the privilege to work with Don Carpentier, Owner and Director of Historic Eastfield Village situated in the rolling hills of Rensselaer County, NY, to develop their identity, packaging and website.

Eastfield is the lifelong project of Don, who is a true renaissance man in a modern world. Over 18 historic buildings have been meticulously relocated to the current property, many of which were originally slated for demolition. Don is not only a master carpenter, he is a historian, potter, printer, tinsmith and blacksmith, among his many other talents.

Currently the property hosts workshops in 18th Century American trades, provides lectures on art and pottery, and is a remarkable oasis in a chaotic and technological world.

Hovard Design chose to develop an identity to exemplify the village and its time period. Aside from the web, the identity is either printed letterpress or utilizes rubber stamps.

Fall is in the air and our Autumn promotion has been posted....

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:11:11 -0400

Fall is in the air and our Autumn promotion has been posted. Printed by the guys at Kayrock Screenprinting in Williamsburg, this issue is a three color silkscreened poster showcasing the colors of the season. As Albert Camus phrased it, “Autumn is a second Spring where every leaf is a flower”.

Printed on Cranes Lettra 220 lb. cover in pearl white, this 100% cotton sheet is not only beautiful to touch, it will last for centuries. Done as a series of 75 prints, each poster is hand numbered.

A NEW IDENTITY: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York The new...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:28:00 -0400

A NEW IDENTITY: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

The new identity program for our friend and photographer Michael Gross was printed Letterpress by Haven Press Studio in Williamsburg.

We enjoy working with Mike and he always manages to capture the essence of his subject. Naturally it was a real compliment when Mike asked us to redesign his identity. Keep an eye out for his new website too which is an integral part of the program and under construction. Launch date to be announced.

What a rare opportunity to collaborate with both a talented photographer and master printer all in one day. Mark Herschede does remarkable work in printmaking, letterpress and limited edition artist books. He’s all about collaboration so it was a real treat to see him print and experience the process. Thanks for the beautiful printing Mark and insisting that we only use a copper plate.

The paper we specified is Mohawk Loop, Antique Vellum Jute, 110 lb cover. What can we say, a great sheet of paper.

Also worth noting is the fact Haven Press is relocating to a larger and more convenient space in Williamsburg, and will soon be offering open studios and workshops.

Check out Mark’s site to see his impressive work and collaborations:

www.havenpress.com

Photography by Michael Gross

Sketch Book Project: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New YorkFor all you...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:48:00 -0400

Sketch Book Project: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

For all you lovers of artist sketchbooks, check out the Sketchbook Project in Williamsburg. Literally thousands of sketchbooks from all over the world are part of a permanent collection and available for the public to view and check out as with any library. In addition to the sketchbooks, the library also sells blank books, art supplies and vintage ephemera from the Paris Flea Market. Plan to spend a lifetime in
this shop.

Most definitely worth a visit. And for those of you not in NY, check out their site and view some of the sketchbooks online.

Art House Co-op

The Sketchbook Project

Our 2010 Holiday promotion has won a gold Summit Creative Award....

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:02:11 -0400

Our 2010 Holiday promotion has won a gold Summit Creative Award.
It’s always a pleasure to be recognized for excellence by our industry and peers.
What makes this award particularly special is that it was a highly collaborative project,
involving our whole team.
Well done everyone!

Recent website design for MagnaFlora www.magnafloranyc.com

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:26:10 -0400

Recent website design for MagnaFlora