CHALLENGE
Lamplighter Coffee Roaster's is a Richmond, Virginia Coffee Roaster & Daytime café that has been a quiet staple in the community for over 10 years.
Lamplighter is looking to expand into 3 new markets and needs to develop the right brand identity to do so successfully.
STORY
Lamplighter gets its name after the 19th-century occupation in which "Lamplighter's" would use a tall bike in order to light street lamps. Over time, the tall bike became synonymous with "clown bikes" and have represented an unorthodox approach to doing and making things.
We found an opportunity to highlight Lamplighter's origin and current unorthodoxies and to create an environment that champions makers.
POSITIONING
Position Lamplighter as a workshop to make something.
Long-wait time
Rustic DIY Aesthetic
No-frills
Lamplighter's isn't like your modern 2nd-wave
coffee shopSecond-wave coffee refers to the rise of coffee chains like Starbucks in the 1980s, which popularized espresso-based drinks and elevated coffee from a commodity to a cultural experience.
Lamplighter was founded with DIY culture in mind. Since its inception, its attracted a crowd its more unorthodox compared to your standard café. At Lamplighter you see people working on projects, crafts, or, not for work, but for themselves.
The greater coffee shop world is full of people doing/making things for their employer.
Lamplighter will be a place that challenges that norm.
Charlotte, NC
A city growing rapidly as a finance hub, Charlotte would welcome Lamplighter with open arms. Lots of new-grads are moving to Charlotte and are going to be actively searching for a space that's not work related.
Arlington, VA
Similar to DC, Arlington is full of big business. The recent Amazon relocation to Arlington has resulted in even more professionals moving to the area who could also be looking for a place that's removed from corporate life.
Washington, DC
DC is known for how corporate the culture is. As a result most DC coffeeshops are aimed at giving people a space to get their work done comfortable and efficiently.
Lamplighter expanding to DC gives residents a much needed break from corporate life to make something for themsevles and not their employer.Where should Lamplighter expand to and why?
CREATIVE PLATFORM
"Loosen A Screw"
a phrase that encourages customer's to break their conventional way of thinking in order to make something different for themselves.
This is not a place for convention.
Background: Lamplighter Coffee Roaster's is a Richmond, Virginia Coffee Roaster & Daytime café that has been a quiet staple in the community for over 10 years.
Task: Help Lamplighter expand into 3 new markets.
If Lamplighter is to expand it cannot hold on to its identity of being the "true local coffee shop".
It needs an identity that can justify it moving into a new region and pulling people into the space.
Background
Lamplighter gets its name after the 19th-century occupation in which "Lamplighter's" would use a tall bike in order to light street lamps.
Over time, the tall bike became synonymous with "clown bikes" and have represented an unorthodox approach to doing things.
Opportunity
Double down on Lamplighter's origin and current unorthodoxies and to create an environment that champions makers*.
*makers - people doing something their own way.
Positioning Statement
Position Lamplighter as a workshop to make something.
Lamplighter will become a DIY space full of artwork that promotes a personal-craft aesthetic while offering activities, and events for people to create, make, and share their work.
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Design system contains a DIY/arts & crafts aesthetic - encouraging customers to make something for themselves at Lamplighter. All visual elements should look as if they are a collage of things made over time.
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