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TRUFFL Inspires A Morning Routine That Celebrates The Spirit Of Discovery With Explorer Coffee

by Chloe Gordon on 03/15/2023 | 3 Minute Read

Our daily morning routines inevitably turn into monotonous habits. In fact, your schedule probably looks eerily similar to mine. Wake up. Workout. Coffee. Shower. Work. Sleep. Repeat. 

Yet, Explorer is a coffee brand rooted in a strategy that inspires consumers to elevate daily rituals instead of slipping into an unsatisfactory, tedious experience. Founded by mountaineer Cason Crane, the first gay man in history to climb the world's seven tallest mountains, Explorer offers a curated collection of coffee and teas with a range of caffeine, organic flavor syrups, premium wellness boosts, and beverage-making accessories. 

The brand turned to the creative agency and business design studio TRUFFL to help create a visual language and packaging system that best represents the strategy and Crane's belief that one should always celebrate the spirit of discovery. 

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"Rather than taking our cues from other beverage brands, our main source of inspiration was drawn from heritage perfumers and candle makers like Cire Trudon and Diptyque," shared Raphael Farasat, CEO and creative director of TRUFFL. "Our brand narrative is rooted in elevating one's day; candles are unique in their ability to elevate and enhance our sensory experience. We sought to impart the same sensibility by association." 

To best encapsulate an elevated daily ritual through a lens of heritage maximalism, TRUFFL created a visual identity that melds intricate illustrations, elaborate embellishments, golden finishes, luxe materials, innovative mixed-type treatments, and custom shapes to balance an old-world inspiration with a more contemporary take. 

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"A unique shape of the brand's gold foil border frames the product information. Originally, we designed each product with a different label shape on the front and back of the pack," says Farasat. "However, due to production constraints, this design was not feasible. Our solution, instead, was to create the appearance of different label shapes by applying a unique border for each product." 

Beyond the bespoke framing on each SKU, they're also purposefully named to represent the benefits held within. The Optimist uses CBD and valerian root extract, Relax is a functional add-on designed to calm, and The Dreamer gets made with melatonin, chamomile, and valerian root extract. Additionally, each product name comes paired with a gilded complementary illustrated character thoughtfully placed on the front of the label. 

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"Inspired by the outdoorsy nature of Explorer’s name, the brand’s primary color is a smart and rich shade of green. From there, we use color to distinguish Explorer’s products based on their caffeine content ranging from soft pink for their decaf SKUs to a rich blue for their highly-caffeinated SKUs," says Farasat. "Other graphic elements such as the brand’s illustrations, typography, and borders are sharp and masculine to create visual balance with the brand’s color palette and provide clarity of communication on labels given the layers of key product information that needed to be efficiently conveyed." 

While each label conveys a different flavor profile and its benefits, the brand feels cohesive and structured. All 28 of the brand's products within the flexible packaging system have a revised packaging design element for each product, including the name, illustration, border shape, logo treatment, colors, and layout system. Blending beautiful design and a clear strategic vision have created this beautiful, contemporary packaging system for coffee that will help consumers break free from their everyday coffee routine.

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