Silver American Advertising Awards, Northwest
Gold, American Advertising Awards, Northwest

Ghost Town Coffee Roasters

Since 2006, Ghost Town Coffee Roasters has guided people to great coffee through their on-site training, equipment maintenance, sourcing, roasting, and customer service. They came to Hardy to help develop a bespoke strategy and refreshed identity that better articulated the core of who they are and what they offer.

Through Hardy’s brand strategy approach, it became clear, especially during the survey phase, that Ghost Town was perceived as a reliable guide throughout the entire coffee process–from the farms where their coffee is sourced, to the local wholesaler or employee who is eager to craft quality coffee. It was also evident that their existing orange color and lantern symbol held strong brand recognition. So, with all this important information, we updated their primary color to forest green and tweaked the orange to be closer to the color a lantern emits. The ghost skeletal hand that holds the lantern emulates Ghost Town’s “guiding” approach and is also the inspiration for their secondary tagline; “the Spirit of Community”.

After wrapping the brand scope, we dove right into packaging design. Ghost Town needed a flexible packaging system that stood out on shelves and helped heighten their brand refresh. We leaned into the design language that we had already developed and created packaging that felt elevated yet approachable.

Ghost Town Coffee Roasters now has the strategy and visual system needed to create a solid framework for the brand moving forward.

Scope

Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Logo Update
Brand Refresh
Marketing Research
Customer and Employee Surveys
Packaging Design

Location

Montana

awards

Result

Immediately after the announcement of their brand refresh, they were flooded with overwhelming support from the community. As they grow into different markets, they now have messaging and visual tools that reinforce their reputation as coffee guides in both wholesale and retail.

Riverhouse event photography showing a couple eating BBQ togetherRiverhouse homepage mockup on an ipadRiverhouse Montana drivers license branded artwork with logo seal
three versions of the Security Title Co logo side-by-side
An image showing several of Security Title Co's brand book pages
Security Title Co merchandise and business set design
Image with the headline "we eliminate risk" above an illustration of two people putting items into a giant safeAn image of a mother and child with the Security Title Co logo in the corner
Challenge

Reinforce Ghost Town as a reliable coffee guide in an ever-changing, competitive market.

goal

Create a distinct strategy and brand refresh to help distinguish Ghost Town as a coffee industry leader.

approach

Tap into existing brand equity while helping build a solid strategic framework so that the brand feels as thoughtful and authentic as their coffee.

Brand Launch

Hardy facilitated a multi-phase brand launch that considered everything from employee-owner training to the ‘why pay more’ signs. The first step was to train all leadership staff on the new strategy. By providing consistent language, their leadership team has the tools to communicate the brand to all employee-owners and customers, utilize it in hiring, and lean on it for business decisions. To support the high level of service T&C is known for, we created talking points, rack cards, and tools that empower employee-owners to answer questions customers may have.

Packaging

The Bridger Brewing team wanted to be prepared to can and distribute its beer after opening its second location. AMS partnered with Bridger Brewing for packaging design concepts. The first step in the packaging process involved a strategy session in which the unique identity of each beer was explored and dissected. Several concepts were then sketched out. Once a concept was selected for each beer, custom illustrations were created for cans and boxes. The result is a full lineup of beers, each with its own design that is unique while still clearly a member of the Bridger Brewing brand.

Reason no. 8

The longest line you’ll see comes from a reel.

reason no. 12

Big ideas are best discussed on the back of a pickup.

Custom icon set done for the Riverhouse brand
Riverhouse BBQ food photography showing a BBQ sandwich and fries
low-contrast Riverhouse logo on blue backgroundRiverhouse BBQ menu designslow-contrast Riverhouse logo on brown background
examples of Security Title Co's website pages
Gif of various custom illustrations done for the Security Title Co brandA grid of the Security Title Co team members at community eventsCustom icon set done for Security Title Co
|
Photo of riverhouse meat with tagline "It's a Smokin' Good Time" overlaid
An illustration of two people in front of a For Sale sign next to Security Title Co's tagline Grounded in Montana Rooted in Community

See More Work

Shine Dental
Strategy
Identity
Web

Shine Dental

Goods & Services
read more
Beth Traverso Real Estate Group
Home & Build
read more
Foxtrot
Identity

Foxtrot

Food & Drink
read more
want to chat? give us a ring

We are always eager to talk branding with engaged businesses.