// 01 — Coffee Brand / Packaging
Colony Coffee Co.
A coffee brand that honors American history — authentically.
// The brief
Colony Coffee is a veteran-founded brand built to honor America's history and the people who came before us. Founder Todd Mills wanted label artwork with a genuine historical edge — proud and patriotic, but authentic to its period, down to the smallest details.
// The challenge
Todd Mills — a veteran, and genuinely passionate about coffee — wanted a real creative edge in a crowded space. His vision: a brand that honors America's history and the people who came before us, with label artwork that carries a genuine historical edge while staying authentic to its period. He cared deeply about the details.
A veteran-founded small business, a founder with a strong, specific vision and a real eye for detail, and a brand built on patriotism and history that had to feel authentic rather than costume.
// The work
// The mandate
Todd came to me for a logo. But a brand this specific — built on history and authenticity — needed more than a mark. I shaped the look and feel and designed the labels themselves: the typography, the structure, and the historical direction of the artwork.
// John's role
- ↳Led ideation and concepting over a few rounds with Todd
- ↳Landed the overall look and feel and the branding system
- ↳Set the typography and the structure of the label itself
- ↳Designed the custom label artwork, packaging, and a business card
- ↳Directed the historical, period-authentic artwork approach
The people behind the work
- ↳Todd Mills — founder, veteran, and the vision behind it
- ↳A direct, hands-on collaboration between the two of us
// Key decisions
A logo wasn't enough
Colony came asking for a logo. A brand built this specifically on history and authenticity needed more than a mark — so we built the system: custom label artwork and packaging, plus a business card, to actually get the company off the ground.
Honor history without the clichés
A genuinely period-authentic historical edge — not generic patriotic tropes. Todd's whole point was pride done right, so the artwork had to feel true to its era, not like a costume.
Land the direction, then lock the label
A few rounds of ideation to find the look and feel, then commit the typography and structure — so the label was resolved and production-ready rather than endlessly tweaked.
Sweat the details Todd cared about
He was specific about the detail, and that's where this brand earns its authenticity — so the small decisions got the same attention as the big ones.
// The outcome
- ↳What began as a logo request became a full brand system that launched the company
- ↳Direction locked; Todd moved into production — first batch of labels recently printed
- ↳The start of an ongoing relationship — more Colony work to come
// Reflection
This one's personal — a small business honoring the country and the people who came before us. I'm genuinely excited to try the coffee, and proud to have helped shape something Todd cares this much about. We look forward to working with Colony for years to come.