Square Mile Coffee Roasters

For a limited time each year Square Mile Coffee Roasters add a touch of festive decoration to their Sweet Shop blend coffee - a fruity flavoured product aligned with sweet treats befitting the Christmas season - and is sold direct to consumers as well as coffee shops across London.

I was approached by the client to continue the tradition of theming the product packaging and supporting collateral (and merchandise) with a sweet-based illustration. It was a rare example of a client having a very clear vision of the final artwork outlined in the original brief, namely a gingerbread counter-top coffee machine with sweets and confectionery in place of the standard machine features. Taking reference from previous years' renditions of Sweet Shop blend artwork I adopted the same sketchy, outlined, cartoon-like styling and produced this illustration of an oblong biscuity unit, standing upon two candy necklace feet, held together by icing along all of its contours. Coffee cups sink into a slathering of thick icing along the top, and candy cane steam wands protrude on either side. Between a panel of All Sorts dials and read-outs is the central filter and group head made from a tower of humbugs, macaroon and a lollipop handle. The drip tray in the base is a bed of pick-and-mix classics.

More than just aesthetically pleasing, the artwork had to be functional too, so the client and I consulted regularly during development to ensure that it was appropriately sized for its many intended applications, including the package labels, T-shirt merchandise and website display.