Magpie gives retail designer Quinine a new look

Magpie Studio has worked with copywriter Jim Davies at Total Content to rebrand and reposition retail design consultancy Quinine.

The Quinine identity
The identity applied to stationery

Quinine founder and creative director Ian Johnston trained as a product designer and as such ‘Quinine has a deep understanding of how things are made, which they were keen to communicate in their rebrand,’ says Magpie creative partner Jamie Ellul.

Quinine appointed business development consultancy Preddy&Co in early 2012, which in turn led to Magpie’s appointment from a four-way credentials pitch after a briefing meeting.

The Quinine identity
Business cards with neon highlights

‘It’s been a very rewarding and collaborative client relationship as Ian and his team are obviously very design literate. Our solution was to create something physical and tangible; a real and lasting object that reflected Ian’s background as a product designer,’ says Ellul.

The open ‘Q’ and ‘e’ of the logotype have been designed to ‘suggest space and openness’ and the angles created by the form of the letters shows ‘the unique outside perspective Quinine bring to their design solutions,’ says Ellul.

The Quinine identity
The Quinine identity

The logotype is based on Tondo by Dalton Maag and was redrawn by lettering artist Roger Taylor.

‘We’ve also tried to print the logo in ways that feel quite physical – embossing and foiling so that it always has a tactile quality,’ says Ellul.

The Quinine identity
Quinine’s on-line presence is being developed by Sons & Co

Magpie has created stationery – printed in florescent inks by Generation Press – presentation templates, postcards and a holding page. A full portfolio site is currently being designed in collaboration with New Zealand-based web designer Sons & Co, which is due to launch in Spring.

Jim Davies has worked on a tone of voice, positioning Quinine as a ‘friendly expert’ and is currently working on website copy.

The Quinine identity
Copywriting and tone of voice is by Jim Davies
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  • Hana Peg November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Well done! Beautiful. Love the Q. I hope the site is going to be as nice; so far looking great.

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