El Salvador: A Resounding YES!

I am excited to share with you an amazing summer experience.

In early June, Studio Red Design was contacted by the USAID funded program Farmer to Farmer, implemented in El Salvador by NCBA CLUSA—an international organization seeking to develop, advance, and protect cooperative enterprise. This group helps lift people around the world out of poverty through building sustainable enterprises that can support communities over many generations. 

Farmer to Farmer asked if we would donate two weeks of time to travel to El Salvador and help a small coffee cooperative, Piedras Azules Coffee Cooperative, develop a logo and brand strategy to enable them to enter the global coffee market.  The answer was a resounding “YES!”  This yes resulted in a whirlwind of planning, vaccinations, questionnaires, flights, and mountainous roads to arrive at Piedro Azules on July 23, 2019.

The challenge:  To create a logo, imagery, and design standard for the Piedras Azules Cooperative.  These products will allow Piedro Azules to complete the required registration activities with the El Salvadoran government in order to enter the global coffee marketplace and commercialize their coffee in an effective way.  The logo is intended not only to influence the buyer's purchasing decision but also to share the Piedro Azules Cooperative story with the world.  In addition, Piedras Azules has plans to diversify their offerings, so they need an umbrella logo that can be used for various products in addition to coffee. 

I’m sharing this all with you for several reasons. 

First, Piedras Azules is an amazing group of dedicated farmers who have come together to better their communities and environment.

Second, the trip and related projects, reflect key design and branding principles that apply to all, no matter our scale and purpose.

Third, this project was undertaken not just by Studio Red Design, but rather by everyone receiving this message. BECAUSE OF YOU: my 20-years of design experience from working with clients like you is the reason we could bring the right skills and knowledge. Your patronage provided the financial capability to take two weeks off to travel and deliver a pro-bono. You each played a meaningful role in making this happen and I want to thank you and let you know what you have done to create opportunities for some wonderful and hard-working people

The following infographic provides some quick insights into the project. Subsequent updates will highlight key design and branding principles that should prove relevant to you; specifically the importance of authenticity, having a clear audience, and the impact you make in the world. 

I feel grateful to have had this experience, and welcome the chance to continue to help Piedras Azules and share their/our story with the world.