stop, fika, go

branding & identity, brand experience, packaging, print, ui+ux
passion project

stop, fika, go is a coffee shop brand built around fika, a Swedish tradition of taking coffee breaks (more info below). Existing in today’s fast-paced world where people struggle to barely survive through each day, this brand was conceptualized to facilitate and guide people into a special moment in time – a moment of break (fika). It is a space where everything slows down for a time to savor and appreciate the present moment.
…oh, and what is the key to fikas? Coffee and baked goods!

Values: mindfulness; self-care; connection; appreciation; restoration

Deliverables: branding + identity; fika kit (gift box); brew & bake booklet; fika app

The brand name and colors were chosen as a metaphor of a traffic light. It is also the brand’s message – stop what you’re doing, take a moment to fika, and go once recharged to seize the day!

The color palette and illustrations were all designed to convey warmth, coziness, simplicity, and delight contained in a warm cup of coffee!

There’s no rule to fika at a coffee shop, especially given the order to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This fika kit was designed to gift and deliver a moment of break, with all the items that one would need to fika at home. The kit serves to facilitate a moment of comfort and relaxation, especially in these times of uncertainty and anxiety.

The goods that make up the fika-kit include:

1. Greeting card - introduces the fika-kit (and the need to fika in these strange days)

2. Bookmark - with a message to take a break (and to use for your favorite book)

3. Brew & bake guide booklet - the ultimate guide to fika-ing at home

4. House-roasted coffee beans - to brew at home

5. Coffee mug - your designated “fika” mug

6. Hand-poured candle - for added warmth and coziness

7. Homemade preserve - to add sweetness to your fika

8. Dark chocolate - 85% for the soul

9. Message cards - to spread the word to stop, fika, and go

The brew & bake guide consists of three sections:

1. Introduction to fika

2. Brewing - the art of brewing, brewing tips, different home-brewing methods

3. Baking - classic Swedish baked goods, journey of baking, baking tips, a recipe

Homemade/handmade is a valued aspect of fika. With this guide, not only can people fika at home, but also craft and enhance every detail of their fika.

The app was designed to be a supplementary tool for customers to use on a regular basis for:

1. Coffee shop rewards - personalized double-punch day as an incentive

2. Notifications - reminder to fika at a fixed time

3. Timer - to use during your fika (to stay away from phone distraction while not worrying about being late to go back to work)

Although the app is meant to be used regularly, it is not designed to be used for an extended amount of time. Thus, to minimize screen-time and navigation steps, a simple vertical swipe was incorporated to transition between different screens and buttons which were kept to a minimum.

At the beginning of this project, I took some time to reflect on myself, as well as to observe the people around me and the world we live in. The two main questions I asked were, “What do I genuinely care about?” and “What do we, living in the 21st century, desperately need today?”

Research was mainly carried out around the fast-paced, overwhelming life of Americans in contrast with the Swedes – ranked as one of the most happiest people in the world. This led to further research on the Swedish culture, values, and lifestyle, with a focus on the fika tradition.

Struggling to survive each day, having no time for self-care, and constantly feeling burnt out… the target audience might just be you (and/or someone next to you).

Tying in all the observations, research, and personal values together, the brand concept was developed around self-care, appreciation, quality time, and mindfulness. The brand name “stop, fika, and go” was also built on the brand message to take a break and savor the present moment.

Conceptualization covered various aspects of design around space, people, and objects. This included designing the experience, interaction, and language through visuals that would enhance mindfulness and facilitate fikas.

logo –
Initial logo sketches were explorations of different associations with the words stop, fika (coffee, break), and go. The goal was to convey a warm and approachable look for the logo to act as a message in itself.

app –
The main concept of the app was for it to be simple and minimal in both function and design. This led to laying out the main functions in a single page in which the user can swipe through vertically, instead of a typical menu bar with various tabs. Each function was designed to require minimal steps, as the app is only a supplementary tool for the user to break away from all distractions and fika in the present moment.

Warm colors, photography, and simple illustrations of the mood board reflect the feeling of relaxation, warmth, and human connection that the brand aims to convey in its identity, personality, purpose, and physical space.

No, the brand “stop, fika, go” has not yet come into being…
But yes, you should incorporate fika breaks in your daily routine.

This is not just a brand concept but my personal message to you – take a break, savor the present moment, and appreciate the small things… fika!