Client
Lenah Crawford
Overview
Coffee Koi is a personal coffee brand created by Lenah Crawford in Kenwood, Cincinnati. Inspired by her love of rich, homebrewed coffee and the calming beauty of sea life, she set out to build a brand that feels bold, local, and handcrafted. Coffee Koi launched at farmers’ markets and small businesses with the long-term goal of opening an aquirium-oriented café.
Client
Lenah Crawford
Industry
Beverage
Service
Brand Identity
Logo Design
Art Direction
Duration
6 Weeks
The Challenge
In a space crowded with corporate coffee chains, the goal was to create a brand that felt artisanal and personal without leaning too heavily into sea life motifs. The design needed to communicate quality and care, while remaining flexible for future growth.
The Process
The project began with exploring designs that combined bold visuals and detailed illustrations to capture the brand’s artisanal and sea-inspired personality. Initial concepts emphasized intricate linework and layered information to communicate quality and craft. However, the client was dissatisfied with these early versions, finding them too complex and lacking clear communication. Taking this feedback, I reworked the packaging to prioritize simplicity and clarity. The redesign introduced bold single-color backgrounds and refined white line illustrations, including a streamlined koi-in-a-coffee-cup graphic that maintained the brand’s character while improving legibility across all sizes. Key product details such as roast date, origin, and flavor profile were reorganized for better readability.
The Result
The brand system created a clear, adaptable foundation for Coffee Koi’s identity, balancing personality with clarity to make the packaging instantly recognizable and shelf-ready. While the product unfortunately never fully launched, the design work provides a strong base for any future development.
