Brand redesign for The BottleShop (Concept)

The BottleShop sells premium wine and spirits in Zambia. Right now, the logo which I designed doesn’t work for me and has been very limiting to work with, and I want to change that. Reimagining The BottleShop brand might help the whole company into an even brighter future of more opportunities!

Why We Need a New Design

The current design uses a fancy paid font in Canva called Allura and a picture of a wine stain. I thought these would relay the vibes of a hand written note after a good time after having friends over. The wine stain was supposed to remind people of cold drinks that leave marks on the table. But instead of feeling warm and friendly, the design feels a bit out of touch and doesn’t really connect with people.

Goals for the New Design

1. Make People Feel Good: We want the new design to make customers feel happy and appreciated.
2. Stand Out: The packaging should be eye-catching so that it grabs attention when people see it in stores.
3. Show Who We Are: The new design needs to show that The BottleShop cares about quality and great service.

What We Will Change

• New Font: We will choose a new font that looks nice and is easy to read. It should feel friendly but also classy.
• Different Pictures: Instead of using a wine stain, we will look for other ideas that show freshness and quality, like cool patterns or textures.
• Color Choices: We will pick colors that help people remember The BottleShop and make them feel excited about our drinks.

People are very critical creatures , and first impressions are important. A brand is shaped by how people see it, and the logo is just the start of what makes up your brand online—whether it’s a business or personal brand. I can easily design a business brand identity, but when it comes to personal branding, I’m still learning and experimenting with my own style. This case study will share how we plan to change the logo step by step. By making these changes, The BottleShop can look better and connect more with customers who love wine and spirits!

The BackStory

The BottleShop is all about making social drinking in Zambia more enjoyable by offering a wide variety of high-quality beers, wines, and spirits. We provide unique choices, including special brands and hidden treasures, for everyone who loves great drinks.

Since opening in 2017, The BottleShop has grown to seven stores in three provinces including Lusaka, Copperbelt and NorthWestern with countrywide delivery. We take pride in being suppliers, being hosts of fun tasting events and providers of bar catering services that teach and entertain our customers. Our mission is to build a lively community that enjoys good times and tries new things while encouraging responsible drinking.

In this design concept project, I aim to create a memorable logo. This logo should be flexible enough to work as an icon on different devices and screen sizes. It will also be used on creative packaging like cups, gift wraps, bags, pens, notebooks, t-shirts, caps, stickers, and packaging tape. The brand colors will be black, white, and gold—these will always be used for the wordmark “The BottleShop.” The design should feel stylish but also timeless. I prefer circular fonts for the style guide but am open to exploring other colors.

There are many logos out there, and just like how the world has changed from print to digital, logos have evolved too. I’ve seen many logos —some I loved and others I didn’t like at all. In this post, I won’t go into the technical details of good logo design but will share my thoughts and steps for creating a new logo while I explore the concept for The BottleShop.

The current brand identity

The brand and design rationale

Typography: In the current logo, I chose a script font because I wanted it to feel like handwriting, creating a personal connection with our customers. However, using the Allura font, which is commonly found in Canva, has proven to be problematic. It’s not very reliable for logos and lacks legibility across different platforms. Plus, it’s only available with a paid Canva subscription. For the new design, I considered a round font that combines elegance with readability. The current script logo uses title case, but I’m open to trying lowercase letters as well. Lowercase logos often feel more friendly and modern, making customers feel more connected to brands. They are associated with innovation and creativity, while uppercase logos convey strength and professionalism. A study titled Text is gendered: the role of letter case found that lowercase letters are linked to femininity and uppercase letters to masculinity. For the font options, I’m looking at choices like League Spartan and Varela Round.

Iconography: When designing the logo, I reminisced about nights spent at Lubambe in Parklands, Kitwe. I envisioned glasses of whiskey on the rocks, with condensation creating wet outlines on napkins. The idea was to write “The BottleShop” on a napkin as if jotting down a phone number. While some people have complimented the logo, I feel they didn’t fully grasp the vision behind it. Now that I’ve matured as a designer, I understand that creating icons and brand marks involves simplifying complex ideas into something memorable. The best logos are simple and relatable to everyday experiences—whether they represent an idea or a physical item. For the new logo concept, I’m drawing inspiration from circles, cups, and bottles while incorporating cultural elements. As we approach our 10-year anniversary as a company, we want to reflect on our growth during challenging times like COVID-19 and celebrate the connections we’ve made over drinks with friends and colleagues.

Honestly most of the time was spent on this sketch. Honestly most of the time was spent on this sketch. While it spoke to all our values it was still as abstract as I am lol and my ideas when I designed the first logo. And I didn’t get much buy in from the rest of my business partners when i presented this sketch. I also imagine the icons will include bottles, cups, food…

Color palette: The old logo used black, white, and gold, which was a common choice. However, I realize now that thinking those were the only colors for a timeless brand was a rookie mistake. This time, while monochrome will definitely be a key element, I believe it’s important for the logo to be versatile. If the logo can be represented in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes—just like bottles—then why not explore those options?

Versatility: A versatile logo is easy to use across different sizes and layouts, whether in print or digital formats. It also adapts well to various background images or solid colors. Working with the current logo has been quite challenging, so I’m excited to see how a new design can enhance our brand packaging. When considering versatility, I’m also thinking about The BottleShop’s presence in both the digital and physical spaces.

The Moodboard

Final concept

The BottleShop Style Guide Brand Board by mwanahamuntu

People are less likely to respect your brand if you don’t establish clear standards. This applies both online and in real life. That’s why having a style guide is essential for your brand. A style guide goes beyond just the logo; it helps extend your visual identity by introducing secondary elements and guidelines that support your brand, no matter how far it expands. This ensures consistency and coherence across all platforms and materials, reinforcing your brand’s presence and values.