Senior Project Process Book by Lindsey Balsdon

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Lindsey Balsdon • Graphic Communications Senior Project • Digital Design & Production Emphasis

table of contents Project Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Client Info, Purpose & Target Audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Location & Business Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Logos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Initial Logo Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Final Logos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Branding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Color Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Font Choices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Photo Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Brand Elements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Identity Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Business Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Letterhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Envelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Frequent Swirler Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Gift Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Take Home Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Menu Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Special Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Flavor Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Employee Uniforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Packaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Drink Cups & Napkins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Storefront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Billboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Magazine Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Promotional Postcards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Facebook & Twitter Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 End Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Project Goals & Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 File Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Programs Used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Special Thanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

project overview The idea I had for my senior project was to create a brand identity and marketing materials for a fictional cupcake shop. I came up with the name and logo, as well as creating all the other materials necessary to open a successful business. I chose to do a cupcake shop because of the many different pieces that could be designed to showcase my design skills.

client info, purpose & target audience My client is a thirty-something woman that has decided to open her own cupcake shop. She loves baking, especially cupcakes, and to her a cupcake has the ability to put a smile on almost any face. She wants to share her love of cupcakes with her community through her business. She has created many unique cupcake flavors to attract a wide variety of customers. The purpose of creating the brand identity and marketing materials for this cupcake shop is so that it can really stand out and attract customers. Businesses that have a solid identity and clear knowledge of what they want to accomplish are way more likely to succeed. Having a solid identity with an amazing array of cupcakes, the cupcake shop should be very successful. The target audience is females in their 20s–40s. Other people will come to the cupcake shop, but this is the main focus. Although females are being targeted, they will probably bring along their boyfriends/husbands too. By focusing on this age group, we will be able to target single people, married couples and families, which allows for quite a variety in the customer base. Special orders will be available for any event, as well, extending the reach to potential customers.

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location & business name The cupcake shop will be located in Carlsbad, California, a suburb of San Diego. Carlsbad is about 35 miles north of San Diego. San Diego has a few cupcake shops but there are none right in Carlsbad. This cupcake shop will be able to provide cupcakes to the 100,000 plus residents of the Carlsbad area that do not want to travel into the city for specialty cupcakes. The cupcake shop will be located across from the mall in a high traffic area.. A brand new space has been purchased for the cupcake shop. If the cupcake shop becomes very popular, people from the city may even be willing to travel out of the city just for the amazing cupcakes. Also, depending on the success, more locations may open in the future. The name for the cupcake shop has been decided as Sweet Swirls Cupcake Co.

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initial logo designs

SWEET SWIRLS

Sweet Swirls CUPCAKE CO.

SWEET SWIRLS CUPCAKE CO.

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Although I did like the initial logo designs, I realized that the small circles with swirls would not print clearly at small sizes. I then decided to draw a cupcake and see if I liked it. That was the start of the final logo. Everything came together right after…I found the perfect font and a logo that inspired me to create more of a crest for a logo. I switched to only one bright color to keep the logo simple and sophisticated, while still being fun. I also added a white border and drop shadow to make the logo look as if it is a sticker being placed on all of the marketing materials. This logo helps the cupcake shop stand out from its competition, as many of the cupcake shops in the area have very plain, unprofessionally designed logos. My logo also includes a slogan that works perfectly for the cupcake shop and shows the location, to further instill the branding and identity. The four color logo is preferred, but the one color logo may be used as needed.

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color choices PMS = 7425

C = 51 M = 72 Y = 74 K = 68

C = 00 M = 89 Y = 24 K = 00

C = 15 M = 22 Y = 21 K = 00

The primary colors used for the identity and branding of Sweet Swirls Cupcake Co. are pink and brown. Pink and brown go well together and are the perfect colors for a cupcake shop. Pantone color is only used with the one color pink logo, otherwise four color printing is preferred to be able to produce the deep brown. The tan color is a secondary color used only on the edge of the logo and in the cupcake liner.

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font choices Lavanderia – Sturdy abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

aek��ry

1234567890

Champagne & Limousines – Regular, Bold ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

1234567890 1234567890

I chose the font Lavanderia because it has a fun, but sophisticated, look to it, which is what you would expect to find at a cupcake shop. I only used the sturdy version of the font and never used capital letters because I found that the brand identity looked much simpler without. I also loved the many options for glyphs that came along with the font. Champagne & Limousines was chosen as the other font to go along with the designs for its simple, yet elegant, look. The font works well in many situations and looks great with Lavanderia.

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photography I personally took all the photographs used in my project. I went to Gigi's Cupcakes in Madison, Wisconsin last November specifically to take the pictures. I used my new Nikon D5100 SLR camera to take my photos. I am very happy with the way my pictures turned out.

photo editing Many hours were spent editing my photos…from picking through to find the best ones, to color correction and imperfection removal. I greatly enhanced my Photoshop editing skills over the course of this project. Almost all of the photos had levels, curves, selective color and color balance adjustments applied to them. I have become very quick at fixing photos, thanks to this project. Another challenge was making sure all the photos looked like they were in the same light. It took some time to get this just right, but I was able to get the photos to match perfectly. As can be seen, the photos did need to retouched and look much better now. I also got practice using the perspective and content-aware tools, which are both very useful.

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original

retouched

original

retouched

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retouched

�and elements The ribbon is used in most pieces, behind the logo, to make it seem like the logo is a sticker. It is usually rotated 2º to add interest.

I created the swirls background to add interest to the pieces being designed. It is placed in the background at a low opacity and goes along with the Sweet Swirls theme.

The circle element is used in a few pieces. It goes along well with the logo, since the logo typically has a white outer circle. This element allows for variety in designs.

The cupcake by itself is used in a few of the pieces and can also be used as a logo mark.

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identity package FR

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lindsey balsdon F R O ST I N G S W I R L E R

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a: 2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010

A R L S B A D, C

p: 760.434.9464

w: sweetswirls.com

e: frosting@sweetswirls.com

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a: 2508 El Camino Real Carlsbad, CA 92010 p: 760.434.9464 w: sweetswirls.com e: frosting@sweetswirls.com

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business card I wanted to keep the business card simple, but attractive, at the same time. I used the elements I had created for the brand to keep a consistent identity. The swirl is placed in the background at a low opacity and a blend mode of soft light. It took a few times to get the opacity right so the swirl could be seen just enough. On the original business card, I used a texture in the background but later realized it was not needed, as you couldn't really see it when printed anyway. Also, when I placed the logo on the initial business card design, I realized that it needed an extra border to stand out. This is how I got the idea to add the white outline. I also took the ribbon and rotated it 2º to place behind the logo. By doing this, I created the consistent look that I wanted and was able to use it in almost every piece I designed. For the back of the final business card, I was able to use many different photos to showcase the great looking cupcakes by getting my business cards printed through Moo, which allows you to add as many different backs as you want.

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lindsey balsdon F R O ST I N G S W I R L E R

2508 El Camino Real Carlsbad, CA 92010 760.434.9464 www.sweetswirls.com frosting@sweetswirls.com

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lindsey balsdon FROSTING SWIRLE R

a: 2508 El Camino Real Carlsbad, CA 92010 p: 760.434.9464 w: sweetswirls.com e: frosting@sweetswirls.com

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letterhead The letterhead uses the same design elements as the business card to keep a consistent identity. Initially, the brown background was not there and I felt it was too plain. Once I tried it with the background and ribbon, I knew the result was exactly what I was looking for.

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a: 2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010

2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010

• frosting@sweetswirls.com • 760.434.9464 • www.sweetswirls.com

p: 760.434.9464

w: sweetswirls.com

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e: frosting@sweetswirls.com

9430 El Camino Reel, Carlsbad, CA 92008

envelope The envelope is designed the same as the letterhead and matches perfectly. I did not want the back of the envelope to be plain and boring so I brought the brown background and swirls around to the back. I also added the return address on the back since it did not look right on the front side of the envelope.

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2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010

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frequent �wirler card A rewards card is essential for a business like this because it helps to create customer loyalty. The same elements were used again in this design. Although, instead of the brown background in the initial design, I decided to blur a cupcake in the background for more color and to make it stand out from the business card. The back is very similar to the business card back but uses a different photo that is not centered and is blurred.

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frequent swirler

PURCHASE 11 CUPCAKES AND GET THE 12TH FREE!

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frequent swirler

2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010

PURCHASE 11 CUPCAKES AND GET THE 12TH FREE!

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2508 El Camino Real, Carsbad, CA 92010

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gift cards

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happy birthday!

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frost yourself!

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congratulations!

AM PA GN E

Gift cards are a popular option at many retail locations, and who wouldn't love free cupcakes? The design for the gift cards uses the circle element to distinguish it from that of the business card and frequent swirler card. Different gift cards are available, depending on the occasion. The customer may also choose one that says "frost yourself" that will work for any occasion. The swirl element is again used to be consistent with the brand identity.

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take home menus

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daily menu

signature flavors

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Take home menus are essential to a cupcake shop. Customers will be able to see a photo of each kind of cupcake, as well as what flavors are offered each day. In the initial designs, I used plain backgrounds but found that something more was needed. I worked with the design for a while, until I finally tried a blurred photo for the background. I really like the look it gave and think the menus look very enticing. I also kept with the ribbon theme and faded swirls to keep everything consistent.

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IN ADDITION TO OUR DAILY MENU, WE WILL HAVE SPECIAL FLAVORS EACH DAY!

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY

CARROT CAKE

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL

Banana Cream Pie Carrot Cake Champagne Midnight Magic Miss Princess Pumpkin Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Birthday Surprise Champagne Grasshopper Kentucky Bourban Pie Midnight Magic Tiramisu Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

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CHERRY SWIRL

BUTTERSCOTCH DREAM

CHAMPAGNE

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

BANANA CREAM PIE

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IN ADDITION TO OUR

GRASSHOPPER

HUNKA CHUNKA BANANA LOVE

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY

MISS PRINCESS

TIRAMISU

KENTUCKY BOURBAN PIE

PUMPKIN CREAM

WEDDING CAKE

MIDNIGHT MAGIC

RASPBERRIES & CREAM

Birthday Surprise Butterscotch Dream Cherry Swirl Chocolate Salted Caramel Midnight Magic Peanut Butter & Jelly Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Butterscotch Dream Carrot Cake Chocolate Covered Cherry Midnight Magic Miss Princess Raspberries & Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Banana Cream Pie Chocolate Covered Cherry Grasshopper Midnight Magic Miss Princess Raspberries & Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Banana Cream Pie Birthday Surprise Cherry Swirl Hunka Chunka Banana Love Midnight Magic Peanut Butter & Jelly Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

WHITE MIDNIGHT MAGIC

Baker’s Choice!

92010 o Real, Carlsbad, CA • 2508 El Camin g@sweetswirls.com Open Daily 10am–7pm eetswirls.com • frostin 760.434.9464 • www.sw

DAILY MENU, WE WILL

Banana Cream Pie Carrot Cake Champagne Midnight Magic Miss Princess Pumpkin Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

RS EACH DAY!

Birthday Surprise Champagne Grasshopper Kentucky Bourban Pie Midnight Magic Raspberry Buckle Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Birthday Surprise Butterscotch Dream Cherry Swirl Chocolate Salted Caramel Midnight Magic Peanut Butter & Jelly Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Butterscotch Dream Carrot Cake Chocolate Covered Cherry Midnight Magic Miss Princess Tiramisu Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Banana Cream Pie Chocolate Covered Cherry Grasshopper Midnight Magic Raspberries & Cream Strawberry Short Cake Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Banana Cream Pie Birthday Surprise Cherry Swirl Hunka Chunka Banana Love Midnight Magic Peanut Butter & Jelly Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 760.434.9464 • www.sweetswirls.com • frosting@sweetswirls.com Baker’s Choice!

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HAVE SPECIAL FLAVO

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signature flavors OS

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BIRTHDAY SURPRISE

BANANA CREAM PIE

BUTTERSCOTCH DREAM

CARROT CAKE CA

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daily flavors

IN ADDITION TO OUR DAILY FLAVOR S, WE WILL SPECIAL ORDERS CAN ALSO BE PLACED HAVE SPECIAL FLAVORS EACH DAY! FOR ANY FLAVOR ON OUR MENU! CHERRY SWIRL

CHAMPAGNE

HUNKA CHUNKA BANANA LOVE

GRASSHOPPER

PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY

MISS PRINCESS

RASPBERRIES & CREAM

TIRAMISU

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY

KENTUCKY BOURBON PIE

PEANUT BUTTER CUP

WEDDING CAKE

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL

MIDNIGHT MAGIC

PUMPKIN CREAM

WHITE MIDNIGHT MAGIC

92010 Real, Carlsbad, CA m • 2508 El Camino ls.com Open Daily 10am–7p .sweetswirls.com • frosting@sweetswir 760.434.9464 • www

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Banana Cream Pie Carrot Cake Champagne Midnight Magic Miss Princess Pumpkin Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Birthday Surprise Butterscotch Dream Cherry Swirl Chocolate Salted Caramel Midnight Magic Peanut Butter & Jelly Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Banana Cream Pie Chocolate Covered Cherry Grasshopper Midnight Magic Miss Princess Raspberries & Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Birthday Surprise Champagne Grasshopper Kentucky Bourbon Pie Midnight Magic Tiramisu Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Butterscotch Dream Carrot Cake Chocolate Covered Cherry Midnight Magic Miss Princess Raspberries & Cream Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Banana Cream Pie Birthday Surprise Cherry Swirl Hunka Chunka Banana Love Midnight Magic Peanut Butter Cup Wedding Cake White Midnight Magic

Baker’s Choice Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 760.434.9464 • www.sweetswirls.com • frosting@sweetswirls.com

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menu boards Menu boards are needed to show prices and flavor descriptions of the cupcakes. I created a simple design using the brand colors and faded swirls in the background. There was no need to put the logo on the boards, since they are in store and will only be seen there. Each day a new board will be put up to show that particular day's flavors. There are only six flavor boards because Sunday is baker's choice with no set flavor list.

today’s flavors

NA CREAM withPIE BANA banana buttercream Yellow cake with a vanilla ﬁlling, topped frosting, crushed vanilla wafers and a

today’s flavors

wafer on top

today’s flavors

DAY SURPRISE and colorful sprinkles BIRTH cake with ﬂuffy, pink buttercream frosting White

RY SWIRL with cherry buttercream CHER Yellow cake baked with cherries, topped frosting, sprinkled with nonpareils and

topped with a cherry

M vanillaBANANA LOVE DREA ERSCOTCH BUTT A CHUN HUNK with toastedKA ﬁlling, topped Butterscotch cake with a butterscotch chocolate chips, topped with banana

cake with dark pecans Banana and nut and topped with a banana chip ﬂuff and rimmed with toasted coconut buttercream frosting, dipped in ganachè

today’s flavors

CAKEMIDNIGHT OT CAKE CARR MAGIC with cream cheesechocolate chips, topped with chocolate cake with pecans and coconut, topped with dark Carrot chocolate crystals Darkgreen sugarcake frosting, decorative orange icing and buttercream frosting and chocolate chips

RY CUP OLATE COVE ER BUTT CHOC UTwithCHER PEANRED cherry topped honey food cake with dark chocolate chips, topped with peanut butter frosting and Devil's cake chocolate Milkdipped in ganachè ganachè buttercream frosting and cherries, all roasted peanuts, drizzled with chocolate

DAY SURPRISE BIRTH frosting and colorful sprinkles ICchips, topped IGHT MAG White cake with ﬂuffy, pink buttercream MIDN INGwithCAKE WEDD chocolate frosting and sprinkled with Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate cake topped with vanilla buttercream White chips frosting and chocolate white nonpareils E withbuttercream PAGN CHAM cheese cream champagne topped White champagne cake chips ICwith cream ESS MAG PRINC IGHT frosting, edible pearls and white chocolate MISS E MIDN WHIT cheese , topped with cream White cake baked with fresh strawberries cake with dark chocolate chips, topped chocolate Darkfondant crown frosting, pink sugar crystals and a pink cheese frosting and chocolate chips PERMints SHOP GRAS cream cheese mint with topped , Andes with Dark chocolate cake Mint & CREAM an AndesIES topped with BERR frosting, drizzled with ganachè andRASP with raspberry buttercream White cake with a raspberry ﬁlling, topped with nonpareils frosting, sprinkled PIE and topped with a white chocolate heart BON BOUR UCKY KENT topped with cream chips, chocolate and pecans with Bourbon cake in caramel drizzled CAKE chips, then ING cheese frosting, pecans and chocolate WEDD with vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkled ganachè ®

and

White cake topped with white nonpareils

IGHT MAGICchips,Etopped MIDN with chocolate IGHT MAGIC Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate WHIT MIDN chips chips, topped buttercream frosting and chocolate Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate cheese frosting and chocolate chips

with cream

ISU TIRAM with cream cheese, topped with Coffee and Kahlua ﬂavored cake ﬁlled sprinkles coffee and Kahlua

NA CREAM withPIE BANA banana buttercream Yellow cake with a vanilla ﬁlling, topped frosting, crushed vanilla wafers and a

today’s flavors

wafer on top

RY E COVERED CHER CHOCcakeOLAT cherry with dark chocolate chips, topped with Devil's food in ganachè buttercream frosting and cherries, all dipped

SHOPPER , topped with mint cream cheese GRAS Dark chocolate cake with Andes Mints ®

frosting, drizzled with ganachè and topped

topped White cake with a raspberry ﬁlling, with crushed peanuts dollop of raspberry jelly on top and rimmed

ﬂavored frosting, dutch cocoa and chocolate

ING CAKE frosting and sprinkled with WEDD White cake topped with vanilla buttercream

white nonpareils

IC E MIDNIGHT MAG WHIT chips, topped with cream Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate

white nonpareils

IC E MIDNIGHT MAG WHIT chips, topped with cream Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate

cheese frosting and chocolate chips

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with an Andes Mint

DAY SURPRISE BIRTH sprinkles IC colorful MAG frosting and IGHT White cake with fluffy, pink buttercream MIDN chips, topped with chocolate Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate and chocolate chips frostingM buttercream DREA OTCH BUTTERSC filling, topped with toasted Butterscotch cake with a butterscotch pecans coconut and ESS PRINC vanilla fluff and rimmed with toasted MISS , topped with cream cheese White cake baked with fresh strawberries sugar crystals and a pink fondant crown RY SWIRLfrosting,withpinkcherry CHER buttercream Yellow cake baked with cherries, topped a cherryIES & CREAM topped with BERR frosting, sprinkled with nonpareils and RASP with raspberry buttercream White cake with a raspberry filling, topped and topped with a white chocolate heart with nonpareils MEL frosting, sprinkled D CARA COLATE SALTE CHO with caramel, topped with caramel A special dark chocolate cake filled top on salt CAKE a pinch of sea ING frosting and dipped in ganachè with WEDD frosting and sprinkled with White cake topped with vanilla buttercream white ICnonpareils IGHT MAG MIDN chips, topped with chocolate Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate IC chips E MIDNIGHT MAG buttercream frosting and chocolate WHIT chips, topped with cream Dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate and chocolate chips cheese JELLY &frosting PEANUT BUTTER a with peanut butter frosting,

cupcakes

today’s flavors

EACH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3 PER DOZEN . . . . . . . . .$30

drinks

BANANA CREAM PIE

Yellow cake with a vanilla ﬁlling, toppe d with banana buttercream frosting, crushed vanilla wafers and a wafer on top

CARROT CAKE

Carrot cake with pecans and cocon frosting, decorative orange icing andut, topped with cream cheese green sugar crystals

BOTTLED WATER . . . . . . $1 COFFEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2 ICED COFFEE . . . . . . . . . $2 MILK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2 SODA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2

CHAMPAGNE

White champagne cake topped with champagne cream cheese frosting, edible pearls and white choco late chips

MIDNIGHT MAGIC

Dark chocolate cake with dark choco late chips, topped with chocolate buttercream frosting and chocolate chips

MISS PRINCESS

White cake baked with fresh strawberries, topped with cream cheese frosting, pink sugar crystals and a pink fondant crown

PUMPKIN CREAM

Pumpkin cake with raisins and pecan topped with cream cheese frosting dusted with cinnamon and a s,pecan on top

WEDDING CAKE

White cake topped with vanilla butterc ream frosting and sprinkled with white nonpareils

WHITE MIDNIGHT MAGIC

Dark chocolate cake with dark choco cheese frosting and chocolate chips late chips, topped with cream

••• 23 •••

�pecial boards Special boards were designed because each day one flavor will be featured at a special price. The special board uses a simple design, along with a photo and description of a particular cupcake. The boards would be placed on the counter to advertise the special to the customers. Having specials is another way to reward loyal customers and gain new ones as well.

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champagne FR

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2 for $3

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carrot cake 2 for $3

CHAMPAGNE WHITE CHAMPAGNE CAKE TOPPED WITH AND WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS CREAM CHEESE FROSTING, EDIBLE PEARLS

CARROT CAKE WITH PECANS AND COCO FROSTING, DECORATIVE ORANGE ICINGNUT, TOPPED WITH CREAM CHEESE AND GREEN SUGAR CRYSTALS

••• 24 •••

T ING ON YO U

R Y

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birthday surprise 2 for $3

WHITE CAKE WITH FLUFFY, PINK BUTTERCREAM FROSTING AND COLORFUL SPRINKLES

••• 25 •••

flavor �igns Cupcake flavor signs will be placed in front of the cupcakes, so customers will be able to see what flavor a particular cupcake is. The flavor signs are pretty simple and feature the cupcake logo mark to keep with the brand identity. Circles around the outside in the brand colors also add interest while still keeping the design simple and easy to read.

RASPBERRIES & CREAM

••• 26 •••

employee uniforms Employee uniforms will feature a simple design. A brown t-shirt, with the one color logo on the front and "frost yourself!" saying on the back, will be worn by all employees. For employees baking the cupcakes, a white apron with the one color logo would be worn. Employees will be able to wear jeans along with the t-shirt and apron to keep the look and feel casual. The employee uniforms will also be available for customers to purchase if they choose to.

••• 27 •••

packaging Cupcake boxes will be used for packaging the cupcakes. Boxes will be available for one, four and twelve cupcakes. The boxes that will be used for Sweet Swirls are brown and will feature a box band, using the ribbon element with the logo top and center. Using the same elements will again give the consistency that is needed to form a strong and successful brand identity.

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••• 28 •••

drink cups & napkins Coffee cups will have white sleeves featuring the one color Sweet Swirls logo. This keeps the look very simple, but adds just enough to make the coffee sleeve stand out. For iced coffee drinks, the logo will be placed on a clear cup. The napkins will feature "unfrost yourself" because that is what a napkin is for, especially with the amount of frosting on these cupcakes. It also goes with the "frost yourself" saying that appears on the back of the employee uniforms and other pieces.

••• 29 •••

�torefront The storefront has been changed to reflect the Sweet Swirls brand and colors. The canopies were changed to the pink and the logo was added to identify the space as Sweet Swirls. The pink coordinates well since the building is already brown and matches the brand colors. The space is perfect for a cupcake shop and looks very attractive to potential customers.

••• 30 •••

billboard A billboard was created to advertise for the new cupcake shop. The billboard uses many of the design elements, while still remaining simple and eye-catching. Since the background of the cupcake is faded out, the single cupcake really stands out and attracts attention. I took a popular saying, as well, and changed it to reflect the cupcake shop. Simple directions and the actual address are included on the billboard so anyone will be able to find Sweet Swirls.

••• 31 •••

magazine ads Ads were designed to be used in local magazines. Sayings that are typically said about cake were used with an insert cup in front of the word cake,. This places emphasis on the cupcakes, as well as the large photo that showcases the cupcake. The storefront is also showcased on each ad to show off the location. Originally, the layout was very similar to the identity package, but I found the design using circles was more attractive. The ads should easily stand out from ads offering similar things with their unique layout and bright colors.

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Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino

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464 • www.sweetswirls.com Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 • 760.434.9

••• initial design •••

A R L S B A D, C

Open Daily 10am–7pm 2508 El Camino Real • Carlsbad 760.434.9464 • www.sweetswirls.com

••• 32 •••

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••• final design •••

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••• 33 •••

S& RRIE

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promotional postcards Postcards are a way to attract new customers and let current customers know about specials and promotions. Each postcard designed for Sweet Swirls features a specific theme and a coupon to go along with that. The grand opening postcard would be sent out to all the residents within a few miles of Sweet Swirls to get the word out. The other postcards would be sent out once a mailing list has been established with customers that indicate they want to receive promotions and discounts.

TIN

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fall for your favorites Our new fall flavors are in! Pumpkin Cream, Butterscotch Dream, Carrot Cake & more! Try them all today! Buy one cupcake, get one FREE!! Only with this postcard! OS

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Valid 9/1–9/30

the perfect cake

464 • www.sweetswirls.com

Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 • 760.434.9

The perfect ending for your wedding or special event! Call us for a FREE tasting today and also receive 25% off your total order, just mention this postcard! OS

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Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino

A R L S B A D, C

VALID 5/1–8/31

Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino

A R L S B A D, C

valentine’s day

464 • www.sweetswirls.com

Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 • 760.434.9

Sweet Swirls Cupcake Co. will make your Valentine's Day one to remember! Buy one cupcake, get one FREE! Only with this postcard! VALID 2/1–2/14

Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino

••• 34 •••

464 • www.sweetswirls.com

Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 • 760.434.9

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grand opening

A R L S B A D, C

Sweet Swirls Cupcake Co. is your new sweet addiction! Receive 2 FREE cupcakes just for trying us out! Addicted? Receive 25% off your total purchase! VALID 5/4–5/6 NG ON YOU

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Open Daily 10am–7pm • 2508 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 • 760.434.9464 • www.sweetswirls.com CA

A R L S B A D, C

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We hope you love our cupcakes as much as we do!

RLSB

A A D, C

happy birthday!

All July get double punches on your Frequent Swirler Card! Also with this postcard, buy one cupcake, get one FREE! VALID 7/1–7/31

Enjoy your favorite on us! Bring this postcard om in during • 760.434.9464 • www.sweetswirls.c the month of El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92010 2508 your birth pm • Daily 10am–7 day Open to receive your FREE cup Also valid for 25% off cake! your total purchase! VALID ID REQUIRED

Open Daily 10am–7pm

• 2508 El Camino

Real, Carlsbad, CA 9201

0 • 760.434.9464

• www.sweetswirls.com

••• 35 •••

��ite A simple website was also designed for Sweet Swirls. The website has an about page, flavors page, menu page, location page and contact page. Today, businesses need to be on the web and this website is perfect for Sweet Swirls. Customers will be able to find out any information they may need, such as the location or contact information. They will also be able to find photos of each flavor and the menu for the day.

••• 36 •••

facebook & twitter pages Facebook and Twitter pages are very useful to a business. They allow for direct contact with customers and keep customers informed about what is going on. I created a simple Facebook page that would work well for Sweet Swirls to advertise specials and promote their cupcakes. The page also gives the store hours, location and phone number to make it easy for customers and fans to find the information they need. Twitter would be used to advertise the cupcake specials.

••• 37 •••

project goals & benefits The goal of my senior project was to give me a unique addition to my portfolio. With the numerous pieces designed, I was able to showcase my design skills and talents in a variety of ways. I also gained countless hours of experience working in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. This project has made me realize how critical it is to have exact specifications before sending pieces to print and how essential the proofing process is. I think this project will impress potential employers and help me find that perfect job. I have a passion for design, and I hope that shows through in this project. I really enjoyed designing everything, and someday, I would like to work on a project similar to this for a real client.

printing I had my project pieces printed at various places to give me a good idea of which companies would work well in the future, since I am planning on starting my own freelance business after graduation. I am very happy with the results. Here is a partial list of my print providers: * AdoramaPix * BlueCotton * Blurb * Moo * PrintKEG * StickerYou * Vistaprint

••• 38 •••

file sources Lavanderia Font: losttype.com Champagne & Limousines Font: nymfont.com Cupcake and Storefront Photos: my own photography Billboard Photo: iStock Photo

programs used * Adobe Illustrator CS4 * Adobe InDesign CS4 * Adobe Photoshop CS4, CS6 Beta * Adobe Muse Beta

special �anks * Gigi's Cupcakes – Corporate * Gigi's Cupcakes – Madison, Wisconsin * Java Jacket

••• 39 •••

Lindsey Balsdon • Graphic Communications Senior Project • Digital Design & Production Emphasis