Primary Research

I have visited various small independent businesses to gain inspiration from their branding, such as; signage, fonts, imagery and logos.

Here are some images and notes:

This Indian restaurant has used an interesting choice of bright colours and graffiti to create an eye catching shop front fitting with it's theme. It looks hand painted and so most likely did not cost a lot to create. I think the colour choice is effective for this business as it fits the theme but this may not work for other businesses.

This veterinary surgery has effectively created a professional and welcoming brand with use of simple sans serif font and a grey scale colour scheme with a hint of orange. This creates a professional impression whilst still being visually appealing.

 Their logo is also effective as it easily conveys what the business is about as well as being eye catching, sleek and simple. This could easily translate into business cards, letterheads and a website as seen below.

This west end deli has used no colour in its branding but has still managed to create a nice look for the shop. The grey shop front mixed with different font styles creates a very stylistic and chic brand. The simple sans serif font is all in capital letters making it stand out. There is also a light illuminating the shop name which is very effective but could be costly.

This font is called 'Old English' and is very different to the font used for the main sign. It is a nice contrast giving the place some character and also fits with the 'Devils Deli' title as it is a font associated with religion & the bible.

This font also carries on into the menu to continue the style and keep the brand cohesive.

 This hairdressers has used a very large bright sign made up of light bulbs mimicking the glamorous Hollywood  dressing room mirrors. However, this sign would be expensive to both buy and maintain but it may be possible to to a DIY version or find something similar that is more cost appropriate.

This denture repair shop has used an old fashioned and quirky style that is certainly very eye catching. Its business seems to be such a niche market that I am not sure how much business they actually get. However, people certainly stop and stare when walking by.

This cheese shop has used a very simple sans serif font and quite a reserved colour scheme to create a very trendy looking brand. The awning and window display makes it feel like a quaint village shop which is automatically associated with good quality. Their colour scheme and simple 'village shop' style has also translated well in their website seen below.

This French style cafe has successfully created an exotic feeling to it's shop by using a script style font in French. The colours are also very complimentary and make the shop look upmarket and fancy.

The interior of the shop lives up to this style by using similar colours and fancy lighting and crockery. This works well in this west end location but may not work as well elsewhere. The 'fancy' styling could also be quite expensive to achieve.

This Vietnamese Restaurant successfully channels the city of Hanoi without going over the top. The flags, broken bikes and shabby outdoor chairs give the feeling of a back street cafe in Vietnam. The simple hand done word mark is effective but doesn't translate what the business actually is. It could just be a bike shop to a passer by.

The feel of this restaurant translates well to the interior by using a cohesive colour scheme and simple, cheap furniture. This decor does not look expensive to obtain at all and is an effective way for a small business to stick to a budget. The website, as shown below, also uses the same colours and word mark and makes the restaurant look fun and unique.

This small hairdressers has effectively created its own sign and used fairy lights to draw attention to it. They have also creatively used graffiti to decorate their shutters making their shop eye catching and memorable.

This independant record shop has used its own records to decorate and create a banner. This is very cost effective and also reflects the second hand products of the shop.

This vintage clothing shop looks equally as vintage on the outside. They have used chalk boards as their signs and what looks like a second hand awning for the entrance. The colour used is very bright and makes a statement.

 They have also used art to decorate the shop front making the whole brand very DIY and cost effective.

This small toy shop have used two colours that do not compliment each other. This makes the sign hard to read which is not a very good first impression of their branding. It does however reflect the old style toys by looking a bit worn and used.

 

I really like the logo and word mark used by this bar as it uses very complimentary colours in a modern and trendy font style. It looks very proffessional and welcoming, but also looks expensive and may not be appropriate for a smaller shop.


This hand-made jewellery stall in Edinburgh has some nice branding in the way they have used things such as playing cards and old photos as decoration. It looks very cost effective but cohesive as a brand.

This is their business card which is visually appealing in terms of colours and font but may have too much unnecessary information on it making it look cluttered.

I have also looked at some possible materials that could be used for signage or decor etc:

These old wood textures have been used on a wall in a small cafe. It is cheap and easy to source and can be painted.


This is another wood texture used on the wall of a bar.


This ceiling of a restaurant & bar has kept all the pipes and vents showing giving the place a modern and trendy vibe. This also cuts the cost of renovating to get the covered up.

This chalk board for a bar & restaurant shows that signage does not need to cost a lot to be effective. It is also more practical as it can be easily edited and changed in minutes cost free.