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Case studyBranding

IdentityColourPatternPackagingEnvironment

Tea café

Hotshay

Opening frame of the Hotshay brand film

Hotshay brand film. Motion film made from the original Hotshay identity boards and brand applications.

Overview

An identity for Hotshay, "a perfect tea spot", built on a stacked wordmark with a flame-like leaf above the letters and a deep purple colour.

The presentation carries the system from cups and takeaway boxes to a cap and two café signage mockups.

BriefA tea spot needs an identity people can recognise both on the street and in their hand. The design task is to connect that small everyday purchase with the name of the place it came from.

Services

Scope

  • Wordmark and tagline
  • Colour and brand pattern
  • Takeaway packaging, merchandise and café signage applications
A person in a white t-shirt, seen from the chest down on a Dubai pavement at night, holding a purple Hotshay cup and a white Hotshay paper bag.
Tea on the street at nightThe Hotshay identity in a lifestyle photograph of a takeaway cup and bag on a night street.

How to read this deck

The deck pairs the client’s original presentation boards with new application scenes that show the identity in use.

Some of the older boards have been redrawn. Each one sits where the original stood, with the real original design in its corner and a View original button to open it in full.

Chapter 01

Concept and inspiration

Hotshay: Inspiration
InspirationA steaming tea cup over a field of tea leaves sets the direction for the mark.
Hotshay: Hotshay tea-leaf inspiration in colour
Hotshay tea-leaf inspiration in colourA white steaming-cup symbol overlays green tea-leaf photography in the client inspiration board.

Chapter 02

How the logo was formed

The Hotshay logo shown large on a pale paper ground with thin construction lines, circles, a modular grid and a clear-space frame built from a unit x.
Logo constructionConstruction study of the Hotshay logo, showing its geometry and clear space.

Chapter 04

Logo variations

Hotshay: Monochrome versions
Monochrome versionsBlack-on-white and white-on-black versions of the stacked wordmark.
The Hotshay flame-leaf symbol in deep purple, enlarged and cropped off the corner of a pale lilac field.
Symbol on lilacThe Hotshay identity showing the flame-leaf symbol alone, enlarged on pale lilac.

Chapter 05

Colour

  • Accent#4B2A8C
  • Surface#1C1033
  • Ink#FFFFFF

Colours sampled from the original identity boards.

Four vertical panels in deep purple, white, lilac and black, each carrying the Hotshay stacked logo in the version that reads on that colour.
Logo on colourThe Hotshay identity as the logo on four colour panels: purple, white, lilac and black.
Square patches of deep purple, lilac, white and black paint on a clean plaster wall with paper stock swatches taped beside them and a brush resting on a paint tin.
Brand colours painted on a wallThe Hotshay identity: the brand purple, lilac, white and black as painted wall swatches and paper stock.
A white studio table with purple fabric swatches, printed proof sheets of the Hotshay purple, lilac and leaf pattern, a fanned printer colour guide and a purple paper cup.
Print proofs and colour guideThe Hotshay identity: print proofs and swatches in the brand purple on a studio table beside a printer's colour guide.

Chapter 06

Pattern and graphic elements

A pattern for small surfaces

A repeating brand pattern fills the space the logo cannot: cup sleeves, the fries holder and the side panels of the boxes. The full wordmark is kept for the larger café walls.

Hotshay: Brand pattern
Brand patternA small purple motif repeats across a white field.
The Hotshay purple leaf pinwheel pattern filling the whole frame on white, with a round purple badge holding the white logo.
PatternThe Hotshay identity as a full-bleed brand pattern with a logo badge.
A box wrapped in purple and white leaf-pattern paper with a round purple Hotshay logo sticker on an oak counter, a hand resting on its corner.
Pattern on wrapping tissueThe Hotshay identity: the leaf pattern printed on wrapping paper around a gift box.

Chapter 07

Packaging

Two Hotshay paper cups, one white with the purple leaf pattern and one deep purple, beside a purple fries holder on a clean terrazzo cafe counter.
Hotshay: Cups and fries holder
Cups and fries holderTakeaway cups and a fries holder combine the purple wordmark with the brand pattern.
Cups and fries holderThe Hotshay identity on paper cups and a fries holder on a cafe counter.
The Hotshay takeaway range laid flat on pale lilac: purple and patterned cups, a fries holder, clamshell and square boxes, a paper bag and a cap, with a few scattered tea leaves.
Packaging rangeThe Hotshay identity across the takeaway packaging range, laid out flat.
Two deep purple Hotshay takeaway boxes with the white stacked wordmark, stacked on a clean steel counter in a bright kitchen.
Hotshay: Takeaway boxes
Takeaway boxesPurple clamshell boxes carry the white wordmark on their lids and sides.
Takeaway boxesThe Hotshay identity on two takeaway boxes on a kitchen counter.
Hotshay: Hotshay purple food-box application
Hotshay purple food-box applicationThe Hotshay identity on its documented purple food boxes with patterned white side panels.
A deep purple Hotshay box with the white wordmark on a sunlit oak cafe table beside a purple cap and a cup of tea.
Hotshay: Box and cap
Box and capA square box with the tagline on its side, beside a purple cap with the wordmark.
Gift box and capThe Hotshay identity on a gift box and cap on a sunlit cafe table.
Hotshay: Hotshay cup application
Hotshay cup applicationThe Hotshay identity on takeaway cups.
Hotshay: Hotshay cup presentation
Hotshay cup presentationTwo purple-and-white takeaway cups carry the wordmark and repeat pattern in a separate client PDF board.

Chapter 08

Stationery

A top-down stationery set on dark aubergine linen: purple and white business cards, a letterhead with a leaf pattern strip, a purple folder, envelope and compliment slip, and a brass pen.
StationeryThe Hotshay identity on business cards, letterhead, envelope and folder.
A hand laying a purple Hotshay business card onto a stack of purple and white cards on a pale oak desk, with a tea glass and a brass pen behind.
Business cards on a deskThe Hotshay identity on business cards on an oak desk in a bright studio.
A letterhead with a leaf-pattern edge, a deep purple envelope and a compliment slip with the Hotshay logo on an oak desk with a brass pen and a tea glass.
Letterhead and envelopeThe Hotshay identity: letterhead, a purple envelope and a compliment slip on an oak desk.

Chapter 09

Signage and spaces

A cafe interior with the purple Hotshay wordmark on a white wall, brick, rattan lamps and bistro chairs.
Hotshay: Café wall mockup
Café wall mockupA large purple wordmark on a white wall above café tables and chairs.
Cafe feature wallThe Hotshay identity, remastered from the original board of cafe wall logo mockup, as a photograph of the cafe feature wall.
A silver and white dimensional Hotshay sign on a navy terrace wall in warm afternoon light with a brick planter and neat chairs below.
Hotshay: Outdoor signage mockup
Outdoor signage mockupA dimensional white logo on a dark wall above outdoor seating.
Terrace sign in the afternoonThe Hotshay identity on the terrace sign in afternoon light.
Hotshay: Hotshay café-wall presentation
Hotshay café-wall presentationThe client PDF presents the purple Hotshay identity above café tables and chairs on a white wall.

Chapter 10

Digital

A hand holding a phone against pale lilac, showing a Hotshay Instagram grid of purple logo tiles, leaf pattern, a patterned cup, a cap, a clamshell box and tea.
Instagram gridThe Hotshay identity as an Instagram profile grid on a phone.
A hand holding a phone at a sunny cafe window table, the screen showing a deep purple Hotshay story frame with the stacked white logo and leaf pattern.
Story frame on a phoneThe Hotshay identity: a single Instagram story frame on a phone held in a cafe.
A laptop on a tidy oak desk showing a Hotshay social profile with a purple logo avatar and a grid of purple and white tiles, beside a mug and a notebook.
Profile open on a laptopThe Hotshay identity: the brand profile open on a laptop on a studio desk.

Chapter 11

The brand in the world

Cups, fries sleeves and food boxes bring the leaf pattern into takeaway service. A branded cap and café wall-sign mockups show how the same identity can extend to staff wear and the café environment.

A purple Hotshay tea kiosk on a clean Jumeirah street in warm late afternoon light, with the stacked white wordmark on the counter front and two branded takeaway cups on top.
Hotshay kiosk in the afternoon lightThe Hotshay identity on a street kiosk and takeaway cups.
A rider in a purple Hotshay polo, shown from the shoulders down, holds out a new purple paper bag and a purple takeaway box in front of a scooter with a purple delivery backpack outside a modern cafe.
Hotshay delivery in the afternoon sunThe Hotshay identity on a paper bag, takeaway box, delivery backpack and staff polo.
The front of a purple Hotshay tea spot at night, with a large white dimensional wordmark above a glass door and the leaf pattern on the neighbouring wall.
Hotshay tea spot at nightThe Hotshay identity on a shopfront sign and pattern wall.
Purple leaf-pattern wrapping paper with a deep purple cup sleeve carrying the white Hotshay wordmark, loose tea leaves and a wooden stirrer.
Leaf pattern and cup sleeveThe Hotshay identity on a cup sleeve and printed tissue paper.

Chapter 12

In people’s hands

  • A barista in a black apron, seen from the chest down, hands a purple Hotshay cup across a dark wood counter to a customer's hand.
    Cup across the counterThe Hotshay identity in a lifestyle photograph of a cup being handed across a tea counter at night.
  • Two hands lifting the lid of a purple Hotshay burger box on a marble cafe table, with a fries pouch and a purple cup beside it.
    Burger box on marbleThe Hotshay identity in a lifestyle photograph of a burger box, fries pouch and cup on a cafe table.
  • A passenger seen from the chest down in a car at night, holding a white Hotshay paper bag on the lap and a purple Hotshay cup.
    Tea on the ride homeThe Hotshay identity in a lifestyle photograph of a passenger with a bag, cup, fries and burger box in a car at night.
  • A purple Hotshay cup with a lilac lid and a small flat purple box with a leaf-pattern edge standing on the seat of a woven rattan cafe chair in warm afternoon light.
    Cup on a rattan chairThe Hotshay identity in a lifestyle photograph of a cup and small box on a rattan cafe chair.
  • A deep purple Hotshay cap, a purple cup with a lilac lid and a stack of white napkins on a clean stainless-steel kitchen counter.
    Cap on the steel counterThe Hotshay identity in a lifestyle photograph of a cap, cup and napkins on a steel kitchen counter.

Chapter 13

Campaign

A backlit bus shelter poster in deep purple with the white Hotshay logo on a clean Al Barsha roadside at golden hour, with a passing car and palm trees.
Bus shelter poster in Al BarshaThe Hotshay identity: a backlit bus shelter poster on an Al Barsha street.
A neat stack of purple Hotshay flyers with the white logo on a pale stone cafe counter beside a purple paper cup.
Flyer on a cafe counterThe Hotshay identity: a printed flyer stack on a cafe counter beside a cup.
Three backlit street posters on a clean Dubai Marina promenade at blue hour: the white Hotshay logo on purple, the leaf pattern on white, and a hand holding a patterned cup.
Street postersThe Hotshay identity on three backlit street posters at blue hour.

About this deck

What we built

A purple-led identity with a flame-like leaf, a stacked wordmark and a repeat pattern, demonstrated across drinks, takeaway packaging, clothing and café signage.

About the originals

The original boards are from Abcon’s original project presentation and include application mockups.

What does your brand need next?

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