Freytag Anderson

For our rebrand from Clever Kombucha to You + I we worked alongside design studio Freytag Anderson.

Here we get a little more insight into the process of creating the new branding.

Tell us about your studio, how it all started and what you do?

We are Freytag Anderson a strategic brand design studio based in Glasgow and Oban. We’re a small team headed up by German and Scottish designers Daniel Freytag and Greig Anderson and were founded in 2013. Typically, we help businesses communicate using simple, powerful ideas. We design logos and identity systems, brochures and packaging, develop websites and apps and everything else in between. We work with a wide variety of clients both locally and internationally and use our selected network of partners and collaborators to build creative teams around projects and their requirements. It's an approach that keeps us nimble and lets us work with who we feel is best suited for a particular project's needs.

What does a typical day at Freytag Anderson look like?

Every day is different and that is what keeps it interesting. We work on a wide variety of projects from full visual identity systems and guidelines for the recently launched Scottish National Investment Bank to naming, identity design and packaging for the new 8 Doors Distillery in John O’ Groats. The range of work that we do is what keeps us engaged and excited and we are always interested in exploring new territories and ideas. From a functional perspective, the last year or so has been a pretty different working experience for us all and we’ve had to adapt as a team into working from home and using the various online platforms to not only work together but to work with and present to clients. It's been anything but typical but we are fortunate to be able to continue to work this way and keep our client service and quality of work where we expect it to be.

 

We first approached you in late 2019 so the project was in the works for some time. Give us a brief overview of the design process from initial brief to finished product?

Has it been that long? Wow! I suppose from a design perspective I think we had a good understanding of what you wanted to achieve from our initial meetings. We understood the need to change the brand name in line with new products and future ambitions, but also that the need to retain some existing brand equity of Clever Kombucha was important. We established quickly that the main focus would be on developing some new product lines and it was key to explore ways to expand the range of packaging whilst keeping consistency. We felt the bottle was synonymous with the existing brand were keen to retain that so by using amber bottles for the Kombucha but using clear glass versions for the new Botanical teas and Barley Waters we could make a clear distinction easily.

In terms of the visual concept, we wanted to bring the natural ingredients used and the benefits of these to the forefront. We presented a botanical sketchbook inspired approach where we could use illustration and type to help link the product, the ingredients and their natural benefits to the consumer.

 

Can you talk us through some of the main design elements of the new branding? Illustrations, typeface, colours, layout etc.

The change to You + I meant that the name itself was more about the connection between the drinks you produce and the consumers so we wanted to choose a typeface that felt more warm and accessible. We selected the Value Serif typeface family from Colophon Foundry as its a beautifully crafted, human contemporary serif. We also looked at a slightly off white base for the labels to make them again feel warmer and less stark, especially on the lovely amber glass.

 

Finally the illustration style and quality were key and after some research, we came across the wonderful hand-drawn style of Ryn Frank based in Cornwall. Her fine line quality and interest in drawing natural flowers and herbs made her the perfect choice.

Production-wise we kept the familiar label size and shape the same with a die-cut at the top and simple colour coded bars to help differentiate flavour variations. The labels were printed on a matte PP material and finished with a rough sandpaper varnish to add quality and tactility.

 

What did you enjoy most about working on the You + I rebrand?

It was great getting to meet you both and learn a lot more about what you do and how you do it. It was a great fit from early on we felt and it's proven to be the case. We also loved working with Ryn to create beautiful illustrations and feel that they were the perfect fit for the aesthetic we were looking to achieve. We are looking forward to more collaborations in the future with you all.

 

Similar to You + I, you are based in Glasgow. What do you love most about the city?

Neither I nor Daniel is originally from Glasgow but Glasgow has very much become our home. Although Daniel is based in Oban now Glasgow is where we started the business and where our main studio is based at Southblock. We love the juxtaposition of Glasgow, incredible architecture and history yet it's constantly evolving and developing. It's traditionally a working-class city, full of real people with character, creativity and humour and you are never too far away from chaos which we love. The creative community here is thriving and in our opinion, there is no better place to live and do what we do in Scotland.

 

You can read more about Freytag Anderson and the You + I rebrand here.