Familiars Branding Wins Awards

We got some great news last Thursday! One of our all-time favorite projects - branding for Familiars Coffee & Tea - received recognition in the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts’ 2020 Creative Awards.

We took home two bronze medals: one in the category of Logomark Design, and one in Brand Identity.

This was particularly exciting because it was the first time I had submitted work for any sort of judgement. I was blown away upon seeing the full list of entries this year; a huge variety of thoughtful, inventive designs bursting with creativity - many executed by veterans of the industry and larger ad agencies. I was honored to be included in the first place, and pleasantly surprised with the recognition.

The Familiars brand identity is one I’m particularly proud of, because it truly told an authentic story of a business, bringing together the owners’ personal taste and vision, and a look and feel that was relevant to their audiences. Here’s the description I included in the entry:

“Familiars Coffee & Tea opened up their Northampton, MA shop in one of the most iconic storefronts in town: a 1930s train car that had housed many a retro diner. Unlike their predecessors, Familiars was focused on offering specialty drinks and high quality, locally-sourced foods, so they needed a brand to reinvent their well-known location and communicate the big upgrade it was getting. Named for woodland creatures that help witches cast spells, the term “Familiars” also embraces the feeling of visiting your favorite coffee spot ever day. The resulting logo and larger brand identity united both of those concepts, elevating the establishment well above any diner assumptions.”

I’m so glad to now be a part of the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts, and am completely honored to have been included in this phenomenal showcase of local talent. Thank you most of all to Familiars, who granted me the creative freedom to bring this vision to life. Here’s to more great work in the year ahead!

Be sure to check out all the 2020 Creative Awards Winners - congratulations to all!