Logo/Brandmark
THE CLIENT:
AquaMed was founded to bring the healthiest, chemical-free, better than organic medicinal cannabis flower & full-spectrum CBD oil with industry-leading CBD concentrations (45.3%), and ten times the CBD cannabinoids produced from hemp with less than 0.1% THC. AquaMed the first and only aquaponic cannabis cultivation company in the United States.
AquaMed is an environmentally and socially conscious organization. The aquaponic techniques utilized in their cultivation processes ensures no chemicals or pesticides are introduced into their grow system, producing a purely natural end product. Their system also uses significantly less water and electricity (LED lighting) than traditional soil or hydroponic cultivation systems reducing their natural resource consumption footprint. As aquaponics is a closed system that utilizes fish to provide nutrients to the plants, they also end up with a second harvest of the fish themselves which they donate to organizations that care for the homeless and impoverished in the community.
CHALLENGE:
AquaMed was seeking a brand mark for their organization that was reflective of their positioning as a medical cannabis cultivator. They wanted to include elements of their aquaponic system (fish) as well as a traditionally recognized cannabis leaf.
After a couple of exploratory rounds of design, it was determined that the fish was not going to easily be incorporated but necessary as a nod to the Canadian organization from which they are licensed. As cultivators of medicinal cannabis, they desired for their mark to be more reflective of the pharmaceutical industry over that of the dispensary. As fish are utilized in the aquaponic process to produce the nutrients for the plants being grown and not as part of their end product, it was initially determined to move forward with development without the fish. However, further analysis and discussion returned them to the necessity of a fish element and the removal of the cannabis leaf.
After a couple of exploratory rounds of design, it was determined that the fish was not going to easily be incorporated but necessary as a nod to the Canadian organization from which they are licensed. As cultivators of medicinal cannabis, they desired for their mark to be more reflective of the pharmaceutical industry over that of the dispensary. As fish are utilized in the aquaponic process to produce the nutrients for the plants being grown and not as part of their end product, it was initially determined to move forward with development without the fish. However, further analysis and discussion returned them to the necessity of a fish element and the removal of the cannabis leaf.
As exploration continued it became obvious that the founders intent is that this organization would grow beyond a single location so being able to designate grow facilities from the corporate entity would require the ability of the logo to indicate location.
SOLUTION:
As we moved forward it became obvious that a strong wordmark would be the best option for the company. Customized typography would allow for uniqueness and originality. An open typeface was selected for the basis of the first part of the wordmark to be more reflective of the open flow of water, the “Q” was modified to constrain all elements within the baseline. The Q’s construction was also desirable for its visual impression of someone smoking a “blunt”. The last portion of the wordmark needed to be strong. A heavier weight brings more impact to the medical aspect. The fish with a leaf tail, pays homage to the Canadian organization that licensed the process to AquaMed.
During discussions with the client, it was revealed that they were looking to eventually expand beyond a single location. To assist with clarification when this eventually arose a mark with a location tag was also developed along with specification on how to add the tag to maintain cohesion with brand standards.
Colors
Primary Color Palette:
The primary color palette was developed from the logo and a second color, which actually becomes their primary usage color. The green that is in the logo, and a blue to be reflective of the “aqua”/water portion of their identity. The blue had to carefully selected to complement the green, be strong enough to stand on its own and not be mistaken for the sky.
Accent Colors:
Accent colors were selected from the cannabis flower. The primary accents are “Cannabis Blossom Purple” and “Cannabis Blossom Cream”. Both of these colors have a minimal usage expectation. They should appear less frequently than “AquaMed Green”.
The secondary accent colors have even more reduced usage expectations.
Anticipated color usages are shown in the graph below.
Stationary
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Stationary for AquaMed was developed to be clean and easily recognizable for the company.
On the letterhead and envelope, the logo and address are right aligned producing consistency across the elements. On the business card, the logo and employee name & title are right aligned. The address and other contact information are enclosed within an AquaMed Blue bar at the bottom of the card. All elements in the care & letterhead adhere to the spacing standards set forth in the brand standard. The letterhead also designated with a watermarked cannabis leave on the lower left corner.
