Swansea Bay Records.
Record Store Brand Identity | Swansea Bay Records
Swansea Bay Records is a vibrant, local record store nestled in the heart of Swansea City Centre. Specializing in high-quality pre-loved records, CDs, and cassette tapes, the store offers music lovers a nostalgic journey into the rich world of vinyl. With a focus on community and discovery, Swansea Bay Records serves as a music hub and gathering place for like-minded individuals who share a passion for physical media.
Swansea Bay Records.
Record Store Brand Identity | Swansea Bay Records
Swansea Bay Records is a vibrant, local record store nestled in the heart of Swansea City Centre. Specializing in high-quality pre-loved records, CDs, and cassette tapes, the store offers music lovers a nostalgic journey into the rich world of vinyl. With a focus on community and discovery, Swansea Bay Records serves as a music hub and gathering place for like-minded individuals who share a passion for physical media.
The Misison
Create a brand identity for a local record store based in the Swansea City Centre, where the love of music is celebrated through physical media.
Client, Role & Challenges
The Client — Gareth Robinson, Swansea Bay Records, Swansea, UK | 2020
Swansea Bay Records needed to establish a presence in Swansea Market with their stall and build a strong online presence through a brand identity that accurately reflected their business. They sought a simple, impactful icon to strengthen their brand image both in-store and across social media.
Project Goals & Challenges
Creating a brand identity for Swansea Bay Records involved balancing nostalgia for vinyl with modern appeal to both older and younger generations. The challenge was to design a simple, memorable logo that worked across multiple touchpoints, including social media, packaging, and in-store displays. The identity also needed to resonate with the local community while reflecting the store's passion for physical media..
The Team — Ben Ballantyne, Creative Designer
My responsibilities for this project included developing a memorable logo, creating a cohesive brand identity system with custom icons, and ensuring consistency across all user touchpoints.
Every Record Tells a Story
Visual Elements
The visual elements of the brand identity combine classic and modern touches to create a memorable and inviting look. A vinyl record icon serves as the focal point, immediately connecting to the store's core focus on vinyl. The typography blends retro and modern styles, using a clean, sans-serif font that's easy to read and appeals to a broad audience.
Art Direction
The colour palette features warm and vintage tones, complemented by classic black and white. These colours evoke a sense of nostalgia and timelessness, reinforcing the store's commitment to preserving the vinyl's legacy and celebrating its continued relevance.
The Re-Turn of the record
User Touchpoints
I expanded the logo and developed a comprehensive brand identity system, including custom CD and cassette icons. This system is designed to be seamlessly applied across key touchpoints such as packaging, merchandise, and posters, reinforcing the brand's identity and enhancing its visual presence.
Conceptual Website & Storefront
UX/UI Wireframes
I was later commissioned to develop UX/UI wireframes for their website. The website would feature a clean, minimalist design with retro-inspired graphic elements inspired by the record logo as part of the layout. It would also feature local artists and highlight special events to emphasize community engagement.
Impact & Results
"Ben captured the spirit of our business, creating a logo and visual identity that aligns with our values of preserving physical media and connecting music lovers."
Gareth Robinson - Shop Owner, Swansea Bay Records
"Working with Ben on the branding of Swansea Bay Records was an absolute pleasure. He captured the spirit of our business, creating a logo and visual identity that aligns with our values of preserving physical media and connecting music lovers. His attention to detail and collaborative approach ensured we were always satisfied with the designs. Ben’s professionalism and creativity made the entire process smooth, and we’re thrilled with the outcome. We highly recommend Ben for any design project!"
The Results
Since its branding, Swansea Bay Records has experienced significant growth, expanding its stock and moving from a stall to a dedicated shop. The visual identity was pivotal in strengthening the store's brand, creating a cohesive and recognizable look that resonated with customers. This refreshed identity attracted more foot traffic and boosted customer engagement, helping establish Swansea Bay Records as a thriving local hub for music lovers. The consistent and impactful branding has played a key part in the store's continued success and expansion.
