2014 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

The concept was rich with contrast and offerings and we had to design a solution that combined all under one umbrella. We started the branding process with choosing the right name for the job. From the Latin expression “Carpe Diem”, the perfect link between coffee and seizing the day came to life. Cafe Diem is all about living fully, and knowing that no two moments should ever taste the same. The challenge was making the visual echo this same philosophy.

The Brief

We were asked to design a casual-chic café/resto meant to seduce the neighborhood habitués to come in any time of the day to enjoy coffee and tea, delicious food and homemade desserts.

How the final design was conceived

The first task was the choice of a simple colour palette: white, gold and black. White is for day, gold is for the richness of life and black is for the end of time. The logo follows through with a greeting sun to represent happiness and the driving force of life. Simple accessories in line with the concept were added to the interior: artistic pieces using raw material like wood and aquarelle on paper remind of the whispers of nature that you can only hear with your mind and heart and an hourglass endlessly rotated upside down reminds us that time is precious and that we have to make the most of it.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

In their haste to escape rush hour, the Lebanese never really got used to enjoying a nice cup of coffee outside in the morning. With Café Diem, a new habit was made possible, people come in as early as 7:30 am for their coffee. Another rather empty hour was around brunch and the afternoon, so the around-the-hour service at Café Diem sure helped people to enjoy every moment of life.