For the BEATst rebrand project, our goal was to bring Christchurch's iconic Beatstreet Cafe into a new era while honoring its unique heritage. The updated identity introduces a memorable illustrated coffee cup character inspired by 1930s Disney animation, complete with over-ear headphones and Nike Air Max-style shoes, adding a cool, hip-hop-inspired vibe. This character now acts as a versatile and eye-catching brand element across all touchpoints, from menus to social media, enhancing BEATst’s presence and connection with customers.
The rebrand also introduced a fresh colour palette, pairing soft green Keppel with light azure accents to give a modern and inviting feel. Alongside this, we selected Dunkel Sans as the hero font, a playful typeface with a graffiti influence, and Alternate Gothic as a clean, legible secondary font for body text. Together, these elements establish a dynamic visual language that aligns with BEATst’s updated direction while staying true to the cafe’s roots.
Our approach to logo design prioritized flexibility with a hierarchy of logo variations suited for different formats. These secondary logos, including a long logo and a compact 'BTst' option, provide versatility while ensuring the hero logo remains at the forefront. This rebrand of BEATst has transformed the cafe into a modern, vibrant brand that continues to resonate with its loyal customer base while drawing in new visitors.
