Cobra Coffee Company – Creating Strong Venom Since 1997

This project was an exploration in developing a visual identity and packaging design system from the ground up for Cobra Coffee Company. Visual cues for the outer portion of the logo were taken from the silhouette of a cobra’s head. This reference to the cobra was pared back and simplified to as it is intended to serve as a container for the word-mark. A hand-lettered word-mark inspired by classic middle century script logos was crafted to create a sense of energy and establish the brands position as a strong coffee that doesn’t pull any punches. Each letterform was crafted by hand and then refined in Illustrator. Color is used to differentiate the different varieties with the first 4 varieties creating an overall harmonious palette. Additional color combinations could be brought into the fold as needed. A badge element depicting a cobra climbing a coffee branch was illustrated to enhance the story and also serve as a callout for the coffee’s quality. The illustration was designed to capture a rougher quality which again references the strong and raw nature of the coffee product. A robust san-serif font is used throughout all of the packaging to call out varieties and other elements of copy. This font serves to compliment the logo in way that is all parts understated, legible and impactful. Finally a tagline “Strong Venom Since ’97 was developed to note when the brand was established in a way that also calls out the quality of their product in a way that unifies the concept.