HarperWells

Dean Harper and Ed Wells insist that every wine they sell is tasted and approved by either them or a member of their team – usually involving a sunny afternoon in a far-away and remote vineyard. Nice work if you can get it!

Although HarperWells is a wine retailer and not a producer, they wanted a brand identity to reflect the very source of their passionately curated products. Equally important was that the stuffiness often associated with the wider industry was left behind, instead, portraying HarperWells as a contemporary, accessible, forward thinking and twenty first century wine merchant. No wax seals, no decorative foil-blocked type and no ivory paper stock.

The result is a simple pared back graphic mark, which comes to life when applied. Inspired by grapes on the vine, it is simplified in to circles, which are equally spaced, resulting in a geometric graphic image.

HarperWells

Whilst we were conscious that using such a cliché (grapes) may be deemed predictable, we were equally as confident in our ability to turn the reference on its head and inject an additional layer of relevance. This was achieved by commissioning photography of further wine references and presenting the visuals in a structured and considered way…

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

We worked with the client to identify specific key messages important to their business, such as their regular wine tasting events, diverse collection of wine, accessible pricing strategies and the team’s wealth of experience.

The advertising campaign embraced and echoed the new logo by utilising various props to communicate specific key messages to customers. For example, corks were used to communicate ‘years of experience’ and champagne caps to suggest ‘a toast for any celebration’. This format was used to deliver other key messages such as ‘dozens of wines under a tenner’ being available in store.

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

The identity is almost infinitely flexible. Relevant circular forms can be arranged to recreate the logo and, in turn, deliver a specific message in an engaging manner.

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

The symbol can also be used in isolation on some applications – such as some of the packaging.

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

And when it’s deemed ‘too early’ for a drink – Harper and Wells can disguise their merlot as coffee!

HarperWells

HarperWells

HarperWells

The Click elsewhere on Identity Designed: Asperger East Anglia.

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Comments

Wow! So much to like here: logo, campaign, and photography. I’m a little less convinced by the typography as it lacks the finesse of the rest. The reward card in particular feels to me a little cramped.

Beautifully coherent with a strong concept and does exactlty what they set out to do which was to look like a wine brand but without the stuffiness. The ads are simple but fantastic, and I can see it build from this into something more over the years to become almost iconic!

This design has been well thought, quite inspiring and forward thinking. I like the ideas brought out and the complexity within the simplicity, like the prints of the wine glasses, the money and just the aerial view of the lot.
David, Would like to see the letterheads, Business Cards etc. I think I can imagine it already. Good job!

Well, they made me shut my sceptical trap very quickly. No sooner was I about to say ” You think a bunch of grapes is a good logo for a ‘contemporary, accessible, forward thinking and twenty first century wine merchant’?!” than I saw the advertising campaign and I thought “well, now, that’s very, very good.”

Excellent stuff – I love it.

Like Jared, I would like to see the whole package, plus I would like to see the website improved slightly. Some of the colours clash, in my opinion, and it has a different feel to everything above. I’d certainly be making more use of that logo – they’re quite right in saying it’s infinitely flexible, so I’d like to see it being used creatively on the website.

Those posters are fantastic, though.

It is ideal to have regular wine tasting events especially since there is diversity in the collection of wine. This can help narrow down the choice instead of doing a trial and error for all brands.

Excellent logic. My sentiments are exactly the same as Richards’. At face value I initially thought we were looking at another classic case of half-heartedness masquerading as ‘timelessly simple’ as a visual solution, but seeing it articulated across the campaign reinforces it’s merit all-the-more. Strong stuff.

The applications are really nice, but as nice as they are I don’t think they make the icon any more ownable in its non-photographic form. It just looks (to my eye) like something you might get from 99designs.

Why not have done away with the plain graphic version and used different photo/illustrated versions in a variety of interchangeable logo executions?

My only criticism would be the website – lacks the coherency displayed her, very busy and parts such as the red “Find Wines” search box looks very out of place.

The wonders of simplicity. This is a great idea showing how simple things are always better. Congrats!

Old and obvious idea – done it myself several times and have see it a thousand. Executed well mind you and at least they had the conviction to see it all the way through.

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