THE CHALLENGE
This is a case study to rebrand Sweet as Southern Tea and was done as a student for a Media Design class. It was conducted as a learning exercise only. I chose a local business that has competition, stands out in the crown, and could be even better with branding improvements.
COMPANY HISTORY
Sweet as Southern Tea is a home-based, made-to-order candy and confectionary shop in Harvest, AL, run by one Chardonnay Blackwell. Her shop has been open and taking orders for a little over a year through Facebook and a Squarespace online shop. Her product line includes but is not limited to cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, candies, and chocolates.
The owner is currently saving for a brick and mortar shop and attends small local events and trade shows to increase brand awareness.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The target market for custom-made sweet treats extends across all genders, ages, and incomes. However, women typically purchase more often than men. Product options offered by Sweet as Southern Tea also include consumers who want something special for big and small events, birthdays, holidays, office parties, weddings, anniversaries, and other occasions. With gluten-free options, the business can dip into a secondary target market consisting of those that want to avoid gluten in their diets.
MOOD BOARD
The confections the business creates are so cute that I wanted to create a logo that would reflect her character and that of her products. I chose the font Lifehack (Basic Regular) to give her brand a sweet southern charm and the Love Monster font for a delightful contrast. The colors I chose speak to her love of making confections and, of course, chocolate treats. I worked up two different logo options to choose from.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
There are no competitors in the area that offer the same wide array of baked goods and candies that Sweet as Southern Tea offers. However, the business is located in a small community away from the main flow of traffic from nearby cities. Her location puts her at a disadvantage because customers have to travel a little farther to pick up the treats offered.
Crumbl Cookies is a franchise located in Madison, AL, that offers cookies and only cookies with established social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The company rotates several flavors of the confection weekly and offers chocolate chip and sugar cookies daily. Crumbl offers delivery, curbside pickup, and shipping.
Soul Sweets is Sweet as Southern Tea’s most similar competitor. It is a locally owned company based in Huntsville that is known for its cake pops. They also sell various other treats but do not offer the same wide variety that Sweet as Southern Tea does. Soul Sweets peddles their wares through an online shop and offers curbside pickup and shipping while maintaining an Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube presence.
IT’SUGAR is located in the Huntsville area and offers classic and oversized candies and novelty gifts through an online shop and a brick-and-mortar shop. They will ship and have an Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest presence.
The Chocolate Crocodile offers various chocolates, candied and dipped apples, and holiday sweets through both an online shop and a brick-and-mortar shop, with a social media presence on Facebook.
Brand Guidebook
Mockups
