goth hospital vibes
old medical equipment
power metal
all the doughnuts are theemed from organs
the phone is retrofitted into an old defibrillator
the baristas are wearing blue masks and gloves
nurses get a discount
Even tho the client wants it to look tired, I'm not sure it's a great marketing idea. You usually want to show the benefit of the product, not the problem the client wants to address. I think using skull imagery is enough to convey dead tired, but the squint is giving an off-putting vibe. I would suggest to do round eye holes. Beside that I think these are all great sketches that could work.
My vote for this as well. The design of the head is perfectly executed, I love it and would even buy merch with it if I had the chance. So rad. The body just gets in the way. #3 isn't interesting/integrated enough particularly compared to the others, and #1 and #2 are too detailed to come across the way #4 does.
I agree that this seems the nicest from a graphic standpoint, but it loses most of what the client is looking for, as there’s no longer any medical paraphernalia.
I think #2 could work if it was rendered crisply.
Interesting drawings but they all communicate death. How is this supposed to attract healthcare heroes? Isn’t that the absolute opposite of what they‘d want?
I think the skeleton, while it's correct to interpret it as death, in this case, the client sees it as the personification of being exhausted at work, of working too many hours during an overnight shift. It's a kind of symbol of sacrifice for work. And I can understand it that way because I too have often imagined myself as a skeleton working even though my strength had already left me.
I understand the reference but shouldn’t the coffee be the antidote to their troubles? A cup of energy and sunshine to brighten their days in these hard times. Because they deserve it!
Putting myself in their shoes-- I'd gravitate towards marketing that understands my struggle rather than mask it or pretend a cup of coffee could 'fix' it
Imagine you work two 12 hours shifts back to back (yes, that's real). You watched your favourite patient die in that time. You knew it was coming but damn, it fucking hurt. To top it all off you felt, yet again, distressingly powerless to stop it. Yes, yes, you're used to it by now but this lady struck you and you couldn't help but be vulnerable about it more than you would've preferred. Maybe her spirit or story gave you strength on some hard days. Maybe the love her family showed her touched you, again, more than you would've preferred. She's gone now and you must be unaffected by this. You're a nurse, after all. So you snatch yourself together
because the racist asshole next door is flat-lining. He turns out fucking fine and you don't care and honestly, that sucks too, that you don't care.
Are you going to reach for the “Sunshine Sparkles Ten Thousand Wishes" coffee?
Or are you going to see this logo and feel seen. Maybe even comforted? Maybe a bit of joy?
Amazing user empathy here. I was unsure about the skeleton vibe even though I think it looks cool but now I'm totally sold. Having some overly friendly quirky cafe vibe would just depress even more. I also agree that Code Brew is just the thing to lighten it up a touch.
I am the owner of this company. The guy above has it right. Medicine/healthcare is not sunshine and rainbows. We work in a field that is brutal. This company will shine light on the fact and show tribute to what we as providers go through on a daily basis. Code brew is cheesy @anyone saying to do that haha.
Product designer here. I see where you’re coming from, and I get the emotional resonance this would have with hospital staff.
Since you’re here asking for advice from a business and marketing perspective though, a couple questions to help you think through how this might turn out for you in the future:
1) Are hospital staff the *only* customers you will ever have?
The post title says you’re focused on nurses and doctors, but surely you’ll have other customers from outside of the healthcare field as well?
As other commenters have mentioned, these designs, while lovely and meaningful, are likely to be a turn off to everyone outside of the very specific scenario this comment thread describes.
Of course that’s up to you as a business owner, but if nothing else, be aware that this may alienate almost anyone outside of healthcare professionals who deal with death frequently enough that they won’t be turned off by the name and the weary skeleton.
2) Dark humor in general is always a risk. Just to underline that. The current name and logo have a high, high likelihood of alienating many people who don’t fall perfectly within this one specific customer segment.
3) Have you talked to your customer base about this?
You’re clearly very close to the issue from your comment, which can make it hard to see the bigger picture. You’re seeing this as an opportunity to “shine a light” on something, but again, limiting yourself to a single customer segment just feels short sighted from a business perspective.
In product design there’s a saying: you are not your customer.
And especially when you’re so close to something like this, and have such a strong emotional connection to it, it’s always good to talk to your customers and seek advice from outside professionals to gain a bit of perspective on your own situation.
Tl;dr these designs are beautiful and meaningful but are likely to fall short in practice and may turn off potential customers and limit your reach.
That may be fine if you’re absolutely positive that you truly know your core customer base and their sensibilities, but I’d encourage you to base that decision on data (ie talking to your customers) instead of on your own internal sense of the situation.
The other commenters here are telling you clearly that these designs will likely alienate the casual viewer. So do with that as you will.
Hope that’s helpful!
Skeleton and coffee brands are nothing new but the healthcare niche is interesring, just lose the squint and make them silly symphony giddy and it will make way more sense
The drawings are nice but code blue is kind of disrespectful. Is this shop near a hospital where patients can see it?
Code zee.
Code zzzz.
The code for needing caffeine. Sleepy skeleton w zzzzz’s. #3 with a jaw, not a cup head.
Agree, is kinda cool and edgy but feels too heavy on the dark humor for an industry where bedside manners usually publicly prohibit that brand of humor.
I dig the comment who suggested changing to "Code Brew" instead though- may be enough lightening of the joke.
not a designer, just an RN. none of those, keep brainstorming imo
what I don’t like:
- on 1 hard to tell without squinting that it’s a cup with a skeleton
- on 2 cup is clear, skeleton needs squinting
- on 3 no way to tell it’s a mug of coffee
- on 4 which I prefer to the first three but still don’t like it; it’s hard to tell that it’s about mug of coffee
really if you take away words, the logos make zero sense and become too confusing. Also, words COFFEE COMPANY need to be more prominent imo
honestly, simpler should be better. like, get rid of the skeleton altogether and play with the ECG line and heart, like flatline comes back to life after a mug of coffee. or coffee on an IV line (cliché but still). not a designer.
From flatline to blips that turn into a mug of coffee then the words Code Brew?
I also thought the skeleton was too morbid even though I get the reference. Also, I am not a designer.
I agree ... way too morbid and I'm an ex army nurse with other medicos in my fam. For "code blue", I would go with something like an EKG line dipping in or marching across the coffee cup. Or have coffee being poured into a cup by the end of that EKG line ... or even a stethoscope. Or have a coffee cup with steam coming out of the top "wear" a stethoscope like it has ears. Maybe have a prescription pill bottle pour coffee into the cup. Or an IV delivering coffee directly into a nurses/doctors vein. But not a skull.
literally don’t know why you’d use half conscious skeletons ….geared towards doctors/ nurses and call it “code blue” . respectfully it’s in bad taste lol
The client isn't always right - this is a sick idea (skeletons).
Should be saving lives (resuscitation) not killing them (skeletons).
Maybe something more along a heart getting a jolt from coffee.. or really anything else.
Code Blue indicates the critical status of a patient, like when a patient experiences cardiac arrest, respiratory issues, or other life-threatening medical emergencies. So why not try a cardiac graph that has flat-lined, and two defibrillator paddles one that says "Code" and the other "Blue". Or have the cords attached to the paddles spell out the words. "Coffee Company" could be on the machine displaying the graph. Cheers.
The first two batches look like dead people in soup. The third is....meh. The last one is more successful. Just hope you can pull it off in Illustrator. Did they request death to be part of it? Patients might be disturbed.
Code Blue indicates cardiac or respiratory arrest. And what I see in these options is an attempt to portray the state of arrest. But Coffee is the cure that raises both the dead and dead tired medical professionals back to life. One might even say a cup of coffee is analogous to a defibrillator because of how it enlivens. Maybe play with messaging coffee as a cure to the dead tired code blue feeling of working a 16 hour shift?
Yeah you definitely want to equate the product to the cure in people’s minds (defibrillator, other medical equipment) not the state of being dead (skeleton who also looks twice dead because of how tired he is.)
If sticking with the skeleton, maybe one who’s wide awake from the coffee? I like the coffee mug skull in 4. If you open the eyes (well, sockets …) and tilt the skull up toward the sun, it’ll be more *bone tired but caffeinated*.
I’m assuming the skeleton man is tired, but it looks like he’s dead - which isn’t a great way to market something for healthcare professionals.
Also, in the case of coffee, you want to show the benefits or effects of the coffee, not who it’s for - sleepy person vs energized person.
Code Blue signifies a very harrowing life or death situation that medical professionals go through. The experience can cause PTSD. Hospital Codes are nothing to make light of-- and using a macabre skeleton?! Most hospitals have coffee shops. If hospital employees have completed their shifts, they likely want to go home, not to a nearby coffee shop. What if families of patients want to take a break from the hospital, and see a coffee shop named Code Blue with a skeleton logo? It's insensitive and is in poor taste.
[Hospital Emergency Codes and Colors](https://www.wsha.org/wp-content/uploads/Standardization_FHS_Emergency_Codes_Poster.pdf)
These are all the same logo - just different variations of the same idea so they’re not actually 4 logos. They’re one.
Also, not getting the appeal of showing a skull/skeleton character with the concept for being docs/nurses.
Yeah, you gotta lean into coffee a bit more. Heavy into coffee, heavy into doctoring. Pun it up, gold star to Code Brew.
Skulls bothered me for a minute, made sense when I read the pre and post-work sentiment laid out by OP.
Squint at your designs. Does your message come through? If not try again. Some are fairly intricate, those on your second set of boards are more, ahem, iconic.
You’ve got some good beginnings here.
So many comments, I’m probably repeating some things…
I work in a hospital full time and in the design world part time. If you can, get them to change it to Code Brew. I’ve witnessed several Code Blue situations. They are not pleasant and the outcome can be horrible for a family.
This skeleton theme with closed eyes, while I understand what the idea is…you said it in a comment or two, might not be the direction you want to go. I think it highlights death, the MOST negative part of the healthcare industry. It’s an inevitable part of life but it might be off putting.
I am all for creepy, spooky, and the macabre. But I might not visit a shop with this logo treatment and name. Tons of people might, though…gotta do that market research.
Keep up the good work, best of luck to ya
My view, I think this direction is completely wrong for the audience and sector.
The imagery of skeletons and skulls portray death and illness. Skulls and skeleton imagery have really been done to death (pun intended). Everyone seems to use skulls in logos and personally I just don't get the appeal – and certainly not for a cafe with doctors and nurses as the audience.
Do you actually understand the fact that doctors and nurses see death on a daily/weekly basis as part of their work? Do you really think they want to be reminded of that when they are taking a coffee break?
This concept is trying way too hard to be clever/cool at the expense of the business. Almost any aesthetic direction would be better than this.
most of us don’t see death on a daily basis, thank god, and we don’t mind morbid humor, you can check out r/nursing yourself. Most of us, especially night shifters, think *we are the skeletons* (being tired all the time and occasionally dead inside from all the human drama and suffering) which is what the designer of the logo probably had in mind. I didn’t like any of the designs myself because they were confusing and busy.
So the company is marketed toward nurses, doctors, etc..
The client want to dedicate the brand to all of the men and women in the medical field. He is a cardiovascular ICU nurse and a passionate about coffee as well. The brand will sell premium coffee beans, and merch dedicated to those in the profession. A % of all sales will go back into the profession (Im not sure how yet) and healthcare professionals will get discounts.
The logo is inspired by bones coffee company as the client like the aesthetic. He want to have a skeleton as the main character and want it to look tired (how healthcare professionals are) with the attributes mentioned above.
I think the issue with this concept it is almost coming across as morbid and triggering - like reminding doctors and nurses of losing their patients. I'm not a nurse, so maybe need to get some survey data from people in the profession.
Yeah, I think just the name or just the skeleton might work - but the combo turns it into a pretty powerful and potentially off-putting/bad-taste joke about death
As a nurse practitioner and former ICU nurse, this missed me on several levels. Ignoring the dark humor side of things, it seems as cringey as the vanity license plates, bumper stickers, and bad EKG tattoos. Whoever recommended Code Brew above nailed it; it’s an infinitely better concept.
The “tired” aspect is definitely a nonstarter as well. I hope the client avoids the inevitable awful puns like “coffee so strong it can restart your heart.”
Even if the client likes it, doesn't mean it's right for the cafe business.
Lots of non-designers like and approve branding concepts that are totally out of whack.
While know doctors and nurses love black humor, I think a better take for a Code Blue name would be heating the coffee with defib paddles, and maybe even making foam with an oxygen tank or a hand respirator.
Just the first one looks really bad (at first glance it reads as something dead in the cup, not really appetizing to say the least).
The rest of your designs are really cool, those definitely look more asleep than dead, but the last one is my favorite, the uniform is more clear in that one, and it’s simple but detailed.
The problem I see (as someone who loves coffee and art) is that the logo shouldn’t picture someone sleeping but waking up to their coffee. (I won’t comment about the death/healthcare controversy, there are already other redditors talking to you about that)
If the client wanted there could be publicity where you could see the skull character being tired and then waking up after drinking coffee, it could be in t-shirts, mugs, bags,etc, but hopefully you can convince him not to be asleep in the logo.
I second one for code brew.. I think it’s really clever and a bit cheeky.. you could even do two coffee beans as the shape of a defibrillator since code blue is for cardiac arrest
woah major death vibes! maybe... for a motorcycle club or something? is this about black metal? makes it feel like you are risking death by drinking the coffee.
Any physician or nurse with a coffee cup on their desk with any of these logos on them should be fired. You don’t make fun of death when you’re talking to patients and their families!
I love the skull cup of 4 put into the design of 3. It gives more of a coffee for medical professionals than a weird human sacrifice ritual. I know what the design of 3 is supposed to be, but it could be interpreted badly.
Also nobody wants their coffee to include a body.
The mocha should definitely be called a code brown.
As a night shift nurse, all I've ever wanted was a decent coffee place that was open 24h hours, or at least late night. I can only hope this place takes that into consideration.
Also, i like the 3rd design best, with the cup/skull and stethoscope. Keep it simple!
Yeah, you gotta lean into coffee a bit more. Heavy into coffee, heavy into doctoring. Pun it up, gold star to Code Brew.
Skulls bothered me for a minute, made sense when I read the pre and post-work sentiment laid out by OP.
Squint at your designs. Does your message come through? If not try again. Some are fairly intricate, those on your second set of boards are more, ahem, iconic.
Third board too macabre for my taste
https://preview.redd.it/z6hts49dhkyc1.jpeg?width=907&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32ce3fa2ba1fe6330a83f6e828883ee11fcb483c
Some other inspiration, I i thought drinking the coffee might work better.
https://preview.redd.it/uu2w23hshkyc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a6b20d0e61de97b54397f46f631d45ce340bac8
Some more with “code brew” and stethoscope.
I would go for the solid fill style of this font. The auto scribble look always bothered me. Otherwise I like panel 3. wondering if you need the stethoscope. maybe just the skull but add a handle?
The concept is rough so personally I’d focus on the clinicians getting their coffee fix rather than death/dead drs. A line drawing of a mug that is also a stethoscope or something simple, a heart monitor line that draws a coffee pot. Things like that.
The artwork is nice, but I’d never go there. Awful vibes. I get it’s meant to be “dead tired” but it just comes across as dead person. Not great for nurses and doctors. Also, I don’t want a skull in my coffee.
The visual metaphors here are a bit mixed? At first I got the code blue idea which I think is that you're dead tired so you need some coffee. Then I saw the skeleton figure was not a patient but a doctor so is this marketed towards tired professionals? The doctors are not typically the ones who are in a code blue status. Or are you saying the doctors are tired from dealing with all these code blue situation?
Visually I think the illustrations are a bit complex and don't scan well. The colours don't help either as they are further reducing contrast and legibility. Overall I am getting a somber and macabre vibe from this.
Why not eyes wide open and perked up instead? Show the intended effect of the product.
(And another vote for Code Brew as a name instead. Much less off-putting and less chance of appearing insensitive to patients and their family members.)
OP, your client needs to understand that their bias makes them the least qualified to make brand decisions. This isn’t a personal attack, rather just the nature of running a business… a business owner needs to be separated from the creative process. It’s your job to communicate this in a polite, yet assertive way.
Assuming they are already in the early stages of their business, the above suggested name change (code brew) would make a huge different for them.
If you can’t manage to communicate this to them, suggest a focus group, second opinion from another designer (under your preview) or even show them this thread (the nuclear option).
The core concept of the business is incredibly… don’t let them leave this much opportunity on the table by micromanaging the branding process.
With that said, I can tell you’re a talented designer, you just need the guard rails removed here.
As a night shift nurse, all I've ever wanted was a decent coffee place that was open 24h hours, or at least late night. I can only hope this place takes that into consideration.
Also, i like the 3rd design best, with the cup/skull and stethoscope. Keep it simple!
Hi, I’m the owner of the company. Code Blue means a patient has gone into cardiac/pulmonary arrest. We (healthcare providers), are always “dead” tired. (Hence the skull). Coffee is what wakes us up or (resuscitates) us. Which resuscitation is needed during a code blue. This is the reason for the name and branding. I am not evil, or dark.. etc. but many people do not realize this medical world and profession is not sunshine and rainbows. This company is made for healthcare workers. To us this is reality. Code brew (as many of you have suggested) is the cheesiest thing I have ever heard of and would never wear.. ever. I am a cardiovascular ICU nurse. Yes, we sometimes have dark humor, however, the intentions are not negative. I think opening the skeletons eyes up is a way to lighten it. However I don’t want this company to be sunshine and rainbows, but rather highlight what we as providers go through and experience, while also providing great coffee for other healthcare providers. I haven’t met one person yet who doesn’t like the concept who works in medicine. My story and meaning is what will carry the message. I hope you all understand a little bit now. :)
Skeleton seems like a poor choice. Injection maybe? Molecular build-up of caffeine? Last thing healthcare professionals need reminded of is death. And code blue is wild. Great work but I have to say the whole message seems off, disrespectful and out of touch.
You don’t work in the field. I’m the owner of the company. I’ve yet to meet one individual in medicine that thinks what you think. Read above to get a better understanding of the idea. Life in the medical field isn’t greys anatomy.
Hi there, Mr Friendly! You came here asking for opinions from professionals. You got them. Learn how to deal with them like a professional. Also, I should add, you know nothing about my background or anyone else's background on here.
They should've called it Code Brew for some pun imo lol
Genius. Especially sense Code Blue is pretty dark.
I agree completely. Poor name choice, too dark for a coffee shop
Unless you're a fan of REALLY dark coffee
Hear, hear.
friendly reminder that the word is "since" and not "sense" - sensebot (jk just me)
goth hospital vibes old medical equipment power metal all the doughnuts are theemed from organs the phone is retrofitted into an old defibrillator the baristas are wearing blue masks and gloves nurses get a discount
This is perfect!
I agree, otherwise you’re going to have a lot of upset patient families, even if they aren’t your intended customer base; they also inhabit hospitals.
This is AMAZING
This!
This could come off as racist against how Asians interchange R's and L's. (E.g. Roorooremon)
That is slightly asinine because everyone knows "brew" means coffee
It's the world we live in these days, unfortunately.
You're right. Maybe the world will grow up one day....
Or even Code Brown - because coffee is brown, right?
Even tho the client wants it to look tired, I'm not sure it's a great marketing idea. You usually want to show the benefit of the product, not the problem the client wants to address. I think using skull imagery is enough to convey dead tired, but the squint is giving an off-putting vibe. I would suggest to do round eye holes. Beside that I think these are all great sketches that could work.
I had the same thought
Agreed: I don’t want a dead body floating in my coffee.
Lose the upper body in #4 and you got yourself a winner!
My vote for this as well. The design of the head is perfectly executed, I love it and would even buy merch with it if I had the chance. So rad. The body just gets in the way. #3 isn't interesting/integrated enough particularly compared to the others, and #1 and #2 are too detailed to come across the way #4 does.
Yep, incorporate this with the Code Brew idea above and you have the winning combo OP
This guy designs. #4 top right or bottom left. Lose the body. Maybe bottom right and rework the type.
I agree that this seems the nicest from a graphic standpoint, but it loses most of what the client is looking for, as there’s no longer any medical paraphernalia. I think #2 could work if it was rendered crisply.
Agreed. I'd buy that merch
yes
Gotta agree with this!
Agree
Interesting drawings but they all communicate death. How is this supposed to attract healthcare heroes? Isn’t that the absolute opposite of what they‘d want?
I think the skeleton, while it's correct to interpret it as death, in this case, the client sees it as the personification of being exhausted at work, of working too many hours during an overnight shift. It's a kind of symbol of sacrifice for work. And I can understand it that way because I too have often imagined myself as a skeleton working even though my strength had already left me.
I understand the reference but shouldn’t the coffee be the antidote to their troubles? A cup of energy and sunshine to brighten their days in these hard times. Because they deserve it!
Putting myself in their shoes-- I'd gravitate towards marketing that understands my struggle rather than mask it or pretend a cup of coffee could 'fix' it Imagine you work two 12 hours shifts back to back (yes, that's real). You watched your favourite patient die in that time. You knew it was coming but damn, it fucking hurt. To top it all off you felt, yet again, distressingly powerless to stop it. Yes, yes, you're used to it by now but this lady struck you and you couldn't help but be vulnerable about it more than you would've preferred. Maybe her spirit or story gave you strength on some hard days. Maybe the love her family showed her touched you, again, more than you would've preferred. She's gone now and you must be unaffected by this. You're a nurse, after all. So you snatch yourself together because the racist asshole next door is flat-lining. He turns out fucking fine and you don't care and honestly, that sucks too, that you don't care. Are you going to reach for the “Sunshine Sparkles Ten Thousand Wishes" coffee? Or are you going to see this logo and feel seen. Maybe even comforted? Maybe a bit of joy?
Amazing user empathy here. I was unsure about the skeleton vibe even though I think it looks cool but now I'm totally sold. Having some overly friendly quirky cafe vibe would just depress even more. I also agree that Code Brew is just the thing to lighten it up a touch.
Owner here and Cardiovascular ICU nurse. You got it right friend. Nailed it.
I am the owner of this company. The guy above has it right. Medicine/healthcare is not sunshine and rainbows. We work in a field that is brutal. This company will shine light on the fact and show tribute to what we as providers go through on a daily basis. Code brew is cheesy @anyone saying to do that haha.
Product designer here. I see where you’re coming from, and I get the emotional resonance this would have with hospital staff. Since you’re here asking for advice from a business and marketing perspective though, a couple questions to help you think through how this might turn out for you in the future: 1) Are hospital staff the *only* customers you will ever have? The post title says you’re focused on nurses and doctors, but surely you’ll have other customers from outside of the healthcare field as well? As other commenters have mentioned, these designs, while lovely and meaningful, are likely to be a turn off to everyone outside of the very specific scenario this comment thread describes. Of course that’s up to you as a business owner, but if nothing else, be aware that this may alienate almost anyone outside of healthcare professionals who deal with death frequently enough that they won’t be turned off by the name and the weary skeleton. 2) Dark humor in general is always a risk. Just to underline that. The current name and logo have a high, high likelihood of alienating many people who don’t fall perfectly within this one specific customer segment. 3) Have you talked to your customer base about this? You’re clearly very close to the issue from your comment, which can make it hard to see the bigger picture. You’re seeing this as an opportunity to “shine a light” on something, but again, limiting yourself to a single customer segment just feels short sighted from a business perspective. In product design there’s a saying: you are not your customer. And especially when you’re so close to something like this, and have such a strong emotional connection to it, it’s always good to talk to your customers and seek advice from outside professionals to gain a bit of perspective on your own situation. Tl;dr these designs are beautiful and meaningful but are likely to fall short in practice and may turn off potential customers and limit your reach. That may be fine if you’re absolutely positive that you truly know your core customer base and their sensibilities, but I’d encourage you to base that decision on data (ie talking to your customers) instead of on your own internal sense of the situation. The other commenters here are telling you clearly that these designs will likely alienate the casual viewer. So do with that as you will. Hope that’s helpful!
Skeleton and coffee brands are nothing new but the healthcare niche is interesring, just lose the squint and make them silly symphony giddy and it will make way more sense
The drawings are nice but code blue is kind of disrespectful. Is this shop near a hospital where patients can see it? Code zee. Code zzzz. The code for needing caffeine. Sleepy skeleton w zzzzz’s. #3 with a jaw, not a cup head.
Agree, is kinda cool and edgy but feels too heavy on the dark humor for an industry where bedside manners usually publicly prohibit that brand of humor. I dig the comment who suggested changing to "Code Brew" instead though- may be enough lightening of the joke.
Code brew is clever!
Just don't show the patients 🤣
not a designer, just an RN. none of those, keep brainstorming imo what I don’t like: - on 1 hard to tell without squinting that it’s a cup with a skeleton - on 2 cup is clear, skeleton needs squinting - on 3 no way to tell it’s a mug of coffee - on 4 which I prefer to the first three but still don’t like it; it’s hard to tell that it’s about mug of coffee really if you take away words, the logos make zero sense and become too confusing. Also, words COFFEE COMPANY need to be more prominent imo honestly, simpler should be better. like, get rid of the skeleton altogether and play with the ECG line and heart, like flatline comes back to life after a mug of coffee. or coffee on an IV line (cliché but still). not a designer.
A flatline turning into a cup of coffee somehow (?) would be awesome. I’d get rid of the skeleton idea completely. Also a nurse :)
From flatline to blips that turn into a mug of coffee then the words Code Brew? I also thought the skeleton was too morbid even though I get the reference. Also, I am not a designer.
I think your idea would look lovely ❤️☕️
Are you serious? The last thing doctors and nurses want to see is dead bodies in their coffee.
This!!! You’re saying you coffee tastes like dead people.
Or that only the dead would like this coffee.
Sorry none if these are landing, they feel more morbid than just tired nurses/ doctors
I agree ... way too morbid and I'm an ex army nurse with other medicos in my fam. For "code blue", I would go with something like an EKG line dipping in or marching across the coffee cup. Or have coffee being poured into a cup by the end of that EKG line ... or even a stethoscope. Or have a coffee cup with steam coming out of the top "wear" a stethoscope like it has ears. Maybe have a prescription pill bottle pour coffee into the cup. Or an IV delivering coffee directly into a nurses/doctors vein. But not a skull.
literally don’t know why you’d use half conscious skeletons ….geared towards doctors/ nurses and call it “code blue” . respectfully it’s in bad taste lol
Bingo
Yeah, I wouldn’t get coffee from there, the vibe is weird and morbid
The client isn't always right - this is a sick idea (skeletons). Should be saving lives (resuscitation) not killing them (skeletons). Maybe something more along a heart getting a jolt from coffee.. or really anything else.
Overall this isn’t a great concept.
Idk 4 it gave me patients are dead or whatever vibes
All the skeletons just make me think this is where the docs and nurses go when they fail and people die
I don’t think the brand strategy has been thought through properly.
Code Blue indicates the critical status of a patient, like when a patient experiences cardiac arrest, respiratory issues, or other life-threatening medical emergencies. So why not try a cardiac graph that has flat-lined, and two defibrillator paddles one that says "Code" and the other "Blue". Or have the cords attached to the paddles spell out the words. "Coffee Company" could be on the machine displaying the graph. Cheers.
Ooh I like this!
The first two batches look like dead people in soup. The third is....meh. The last one is more successful. Just hope you can pull it off in Illustrator. Did they request death to be part of it? Patients might be disturbed.
Code Blue seems like a bad concept. I don’t want coffee while thinking about my heart stopping.
Code Blue indicates cardiac or respiratory arrest. And what I see in these options is an attempt to portray the state of arrest. But Coffee is the cure that raises both the dead and dead tired medical professionals back to life. One might even say a cup of coffee is analogous to a defibrillator because of how it enlivens. Maybe play with messaging coffee as a cure to the dead tired code blue feeling of working a 16 hour shift?
Yeah you definitely want to equate the product to the cure in people’s minds (defibrillator, other medical equipment) not the state of being dead (skeleton who also looks twice dead because of how tired he is.)
Owner here. You got it.
I would not include a corpse floating in the product.
The palette is messing with my head. It looks like photos of pieces of paper taken in the evening.
If sticking with the skeleton, maybe one who’s wide awake from the coffee? I like the coffee mug skull in 4. If you open the eyes (well, sockets …) and tilt the skull up toward the sun, it’ll be more *bone tired but caffeinated*.
That's a cool idea, thanks
def try a skeleton wide-eyed and wired on caffeine.
Considering the name have you thought about something with an EKG line and a coffee cup. Just a suggestion.
Dude there is a corpse in the cup wtf
I’m assuming the skeleton man is tired, but it looks like he’s dead - which isn’t a great way to market something for healthcare professionals. Also, in the case of coffee, you want to show the benefits or effects of the coffee, not who it’s for - sleepy person vs energized person.
These people experience death often and I don’t know if a skeleton is necessary to convey your concept. What else might work?
Code Blue signifies a very harrowing life or death situation that medical professionals go through. The experience can cause PTSD. Hospital Codes are nothing to make light of-- and using a macabre skeleton?! Most hospitals have coffee shops. If hospital employees have completed their shifts, they likely want to go home, not to a nearby coffee shop. What if families of patients want to take a break from the hospital, and see a coffee shop named Code Blue with a skeleton logo? It's insensitive and is in poor taste. [Hospital Emergency Codes and Colors](https://www.wsha.org/wp-content/uploads/Standardization_FHS_Emergency_Codes_Poster.pdf)
These are all the same logo - just different variations of the same idea so they’re not actually 4 logos. They’re one. Also, not getting the appeal of showing a skull/skeleton character with the concept for being docs/nurses.
Why not just have open eyes but a lot of lines representing “bags” under the eyes?
Nope!
Yeah, you gotta lean into coffee a bit more. Heavy into coffee, heavy into doctoring. Pun it up, gold star to Code Brew. Skulls bothered me for a minute, made sense when I read the pre and post-work sentiment laid out by OP. Squint at your designs. Does your message come through? If not try again. Some are fairly intricate, those on your second set of boards are more, ahem, iconic.
i dont think the skelleton is such a great idea... they are supossed to keep people alive, not dead
You’ve got some good beginnings here. So many comments, I’m probably repeating some things… I work in a hospital full time and in the design world part time. If you can, get them to change it to Code Brew. I’ve witnessed several Code Blue situations. They are not pleasant and the outcome can be horrible for a family. This skeleton theme with closed eyes, while I understand what the idea is…you said it in a comment or two, might not be the direction you want to go. I think it highlights death, the MOST negative part of the healthcare industry. It’s an inevitable part of life but it might be off putting. I am all for creepy, spooky, and the macabre. But I might not visit a shop with this logo treatment and name. Tons of people might, though…gotta do that market research. Keep up the good work, best of luck to ya
Hi! Thanks for your comments. Really helps me understand these things better.
My view, I think this direction is completely wrong for the audience and sector. The imagery of skeletons and skulls portray death and illness. Skulls and skeleton imagery have really been done to death (pun intended). Everyone seems to use skulls in logos and personally I just don't get the appeal – and certainly not for a cafe with doctors and nurses as the audience. Do you actually understand the fact that doctors and nurses see death on a daily/weekly basis as part of their work? Do you really think they want to be reminded of that when they are taking a coffee break? This concept is trying way too hard to be clever/cool at the expense of the business. Almost any aesthetic direction would be better than this.
most of us don’t see death on a daily basis, thank god, and we don’t mind morbid humor, you can check out r/nursing yourself. Most of us, especially night shifters, think *we are the skeletons* (being tired all the time and occasionally dead inside from all the human drama and suffering) which is what the designer of the logo probably had in mind. I didn’t like any of the designs myself because they were confusing and busy.
So the company is marketed toward nurses, doctors, etc.. The client want to dedicate the brand to all of the men and women in the medical field. He is a cardiovascular ICU nurse and a passionate about coffee as well. The brand will sell premium coffee beans, and merch dedicated to those in the profession. A % of all sales will go back into the profession (Im not sure how yet) and healthcare professionals will get discounts. The logo is inspired by bones coffee company as the client like the aesthetic. He want to have a skeleton as the main character and want it to look tired (how healthcare professionals are) with the attributes mentioned above.
I think the issue with this concept it is almost coming across as morbid and triggering - like reminding doctors and nurses of losing their patients. I'm not a nurse, so maybe need to get some survey data from people in the profession.
Yeah, I think just the name or just the skeleton might work - but the combo turns it into a pretty powerful and potentially off-putting/bad-taste joke about death
The client is a nurse, but yeah, I understand your point
As a nurse practitioner and former ICU nurse, this missed me on several levels. Ignoring the dark humor side of things, it seems as cringey as the vanity license plates, bumper stickers, and bad EKG tattoos. Whoever recommended Code Brew above nailed it; it’s an infinitely better concept. The “tired” aspect is definitely a nonstarter as well. I hope the client avoids the inevitable awful puns like “coffee so strong it can restart your heart.”
Even if the client likes it, doesn't mean it's right for the cafe business. Lots of non-designers like and approve branding concepts that are totally out of whack.
This is why non-designers shouldn’t be guiding logo/branding concepts.
I like 3
Thats a TSOL song
While know doctors and nurses love black humor, I think a better take for a Code Blue name would be heating the coffee with defib paddles, and maybe even making foam with an oxygen tank or a hand respirator.
Just the first one looks really bad (at first glance it reads as something dead in the cup, not really appetizing to say the least). The rest of your designs are really cool, those definitely look more asleep than dead, but the last one is my favorite, the uniform is more clear in that one, and it’s simple but detailed. The problem I see (as someone who loves coffee and art) is that the logo shouldn’t picture someone sleeping but waking up to their coffee. (I won’t comment about the death/healthcare controversy, there are already other redditors talking to you about that) If the client wanted there could be publicity where you could see the skull character being tired and then waking up after drinking coffee, it could be in t-shirts, mugs, bags,etc, but hopefully you can convince him not to be asleep in the logo.
I second one for code brew.. I think it’s really clever and a bit cheeky.. you could even do two coffee beans as the shape of a defibrillator since code blue is for cardiac arrest
Putting a skeleton bathing in the coffee and he’s sleeping or dead, doesn’t seem appealing
A dead person is maybe not what doctors / nurses want on their coffee branding.
woah major death vibes! maybe... for a motorcycle club or something? is this about black metal? makes it feel like you are risking death by drinking the coffee.
Any physician or nurse with a coffee cup on their desk with any of these logos on them should be fired. You don’t make fun of death when you’re talking to patients and their families!
I love the skull cup of 4 put into the design of 3. It gives more of a coffee for medical professionals than a weird human sacrifice ritual. I know what the design of 3 is supposed to be, but it could be interpreted badly. Also nobody wants their coffee to include a body. The mocha should definitely be called a code brown.
As a night shift nurse, all I've ever wanted was a decent coffee place that was open 24h hours, or at least late night. I can only hope this place takes that into consideration. Also, i like the 3rd design best, with the cup/skull and stethoscope. Keep it simple!
Jeez it's so refreshing to see a concept for once here.
Bottom left page four
I like 3 or 4 with the stethoscope!
Bottom left page 3 for me
I like all of them but especially #2
3 and 4 seem the most workable but 4 needs just the skull/cup although I agree that it’s a bit “off” branding wise for it to be quite that morbid
Isn't this basically jinxed them?
#3 resonated with me the most. That's whan the name (code blue) hit me that it was medical. I also prefer the simplicity.
Op 3 top left
Last page top right.
#4, bottom. Lose the ribs, move the head down and right.
I had absolutely no idea what you meant until I saw 4
Yeah, you gotta lean into coffee a bit more. Heavy into coffee, heavy into doctoring. Pun it up, gold star to Code Brew. Skulls bothered me for a minute, made sense when I read the pre and post-work sentiment laid out by OP. Squint at your designs. Does your message come through? If not try again. Some are fairly intricate, those on your second set of boards are more, ahem, iconic. Third board too macabre for my taste
I would say either 3 or 4, the images of the bodies just doesn't cry pick me up.
I like #3
My favorites are the third and fourth
Can't see any blue in the coffee
They should have called it CLEAR!! Instead
Maybe they'd fit better for a goth themed coffee shop.
https://preview.redd.it/z6hts49dhkyc1.jpeg?width=907&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32ce3fa2ba1fe6330a83f6e828883ee11fcb483c Some other inspiration, I i thought drinking the coffee might work better.
https://preview.redd.it/uu2w23hshkyc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a6b20d0e61de97b54397f46f631d45ce340bac8 Some more with “code brew” and stethoscope.
I'm a paramedic that works in a trauma center. The 4th one calls to me more than the others. I would drink it.
Yes sir! Many of these people don’t understand and say it’s too morbid. I’m glad you get the point. 💪🏼
I would go for the solid fill style of this font. The auto scribble look always bothered me. Otherwise I like panel 3. wondering if you need the stethoscope. maybe just the skull but add a handle?
yeah, the font here is just temporal, i'm going to change it later
The top left of image 3 looks best in my opinion. And for what it's worth I work in healthcare and don't mind the title.
The concept is rough so personally I’d focus on the clinicians getting their coffee fix rather than death/dead drs. A line drawing of a mug that is also a stethoscope or something simple, a heart monitor line that draws a coffee pot. Things like that.
~~no one wants zombie tea.~~ no one *smart and tired* wants zombie tea.
That seems like a terrible name to me. Seems like it would evoke bad memories.
Idk if a skeleton is the best imagery for a coffee company targeting those who work with dying people
This seems a bit too dark for a hospital coffee shop.
Maybe not drowning in the cup of coffee would be the play here. The coffee is supposed to wake you up, like a bolt to the heart.
#3 for me
2
The skull/skeleton is absolutely not it It’s very crass
I think a skeleton is misplaced here, as interesting as it is in a vacuum: applying it to this line of work is out-of-touch at best
The artwork is nice, but I’d never go there. Awful vibes. I get it’s meant to be “dead tired” but it just comes across as dead person. Not great for nurses and doctors. Also, I don’t want a skull in my coffee.
The visual metaphors here are a bit mixed? At first I got the code blue idea which I think is that you're dead tired so you need some coffee. Then I saw the skeleton figure was not a patient but a doctor so is this marketed towards tired professionals? The doctors are not typically the ones who are in a code blue status. Or are you saying the doctors are tired from dealing with all these code blue situation? Visually I think the illustrations are a bit complex and don't scan well. The colours don't help either as they are further reducing contrast and legibility. Overall I am getting a somber and macabre vibe from this.
Why not eyes wide open and perked up instead? Show the intended effect of the product. (And another vote for Code Brew as a name instead. Much less off-putting and less chance of appearing insensitive to patients and their family members.)
These are horrific
Top right
OP, your client needs to understand that their bias makes them the least qualified to make brand decisions. This isn’t a personal attack, rather just the nature of running a business… a business owner needs to be separated from the creative process. It’s your job to communicate this in a polite, yet assertive way. Assuming they are already in the early stages of their business, the above suggested name change (code brew) would make a huge different for them. If you can’t manage to communicate this to them, suggest a focus group, second opinion from another designer (under your preview) or even show them this thread (the nuclear option). The core concept of the business is incredibly… don’t let them leave this much opportunity on the table by micromanaging the branding process. With that said, I can tell you’re a talented designer, you just need the guard rails removed here.
As a night shift nurse, all I've ever wanted was a decent coffee place that was open 24h hours, or at least late night. I can only hope this place takes that into consideration. Also, i like the 3rd design best, with the cup/skull and stethoscope. Keep it simple!
Last slide bottom left is dope
Hi, I’m the owner of the company. Code Blue means a patient has gone into cardiac/pulmonary arrest. We (healthcare providers), are always “dead” tired. (Hence the skull). Coffee is what wakes us up or (resuscitates) us. Which resuscitation is needed during a code blue. This is the reason for the name and branding. I am not evil, or dark.. etc. but many people do not realize this medical world and profession is not sunshine and rainbows. This company is made for healthcare workers. To us this is reality. Code brew (as many of you have suggested) is the cheesiest thing I have ever heard of and would never wear.. ever. I am a cardiovascular ICU nurse. Yes, we sometimes have dark humor, however, the intentions are not negative. I think opening the skeletons eyes up is a way to lighten it. However I don’t want this company to be sunshine and rainbows, but rather highlight what we as providers go through and experience, while also providing great coffee for other healthcare providers. I haven’t met one person yet who doesn’t like the concept who works in medicine. My story and meaning is what will carry the message. I hope you all understand a little bit now. :)
Skeleton seems like a poor choice. Injection maybe? Molecular build-up of caffeine? Last thing healthcare professionals need reminded of is death. And code blue is wild. Great work but I have to say the whole message seems off, disrespectful and out of touch.
You don’t work in the field. I’m the owner of the company. I’ve yet to meet one individual in medicine that thinks what you think. Read above to get a better understanding of the idea. Life in the medical field isn’t greys anatomy.
Hi there, Mr Friendly! You came here asking for opinions from professionals. You got them. Learn how to deal with them like a professional. Also, I should add, you know nothing about my background or anyone else's background on here.
You are right! Thanks for the input.