DESIGN DIRECTION & ILLUSTRATION COMMISSIONThe post roast
The Washington Post and D.C roasters Compass Coffee teamed up to tackle busy mornings. The Post’s newsletter and podcast The 7 pair perfectly with Compass Coffee, helping audience’s get caught up through their custom blend: The Post Roast.
A custom coffee blend calls for a custom tin design. Our objectives went beyond highlighting how news and coffee empower people as they rise, but to also consider how design could shift perception of The Post brand. We wanted to surprise and delight. Working closely with Design Director Tova Diamond who had shortlisted a number of talented artists, we ultimately commissioned illustrator Raul Urias through agency Closer&Closer.
Working with an outside partner, an illustrator, and internal stakeholders meant we had our hands full and had to be strategic with direction and feedback. The following section shows my process and thinking through explorations and notes to the illustrator.
Various notes of feedback throughout the process.
After the tin design was finalized, Compass Coffee was responsible for certain marketing materials, including photography. I created guidelines and preferences for the Compass team to work from, to ensure the imagery would best represent The Post brand. Above are final lifestyle selects from the shoot. Below, are the guidelines I shared for production.
Design Director: Tova Diamond
Copy Director: Sheila Hayes
Illustrator: Raul Urias | Agency: Closer&Closer
Photography: Compass Coffee