ACME
When the hospitality industry came to a standstill during the pandemic, coffee enthusiasts worldwide sought to recreate the café experience at home. Naturally, they turned to Acme to source the same cups used by their favourite cafés. Four years on, this hospitality leader was ready for a custom DTC Shopify site and B2B wholesale portal that reflected the exceptional quality of their products. Acme placed their order.
BACKGROUND
Despite Acme’s iconic product range, the brand remains understated—almost nonchalant. With a minimalist Helvetica logo and monochrome palette, we embraced a utilitarian aesthetic, accented with moments of quirkiness.
Acme’s reputation in the hospitality sector reinforces its appeal to at-home baristas. Their coffee expertise was an asset we leveraged to guide customers towards their perfect cup. Through product education, intuitive user experience, and elevated storytelling, we developed a digital experience engineered to drive conversion, retention, and loyalty.
highlights
Amplifying the brand
With a loyal following, the objective was to reinforce—not reinvent—the brand. Utilising the logo font in headlines and navigation made the design feel distinctly Acme. Existing brand assets were integrated into the website to create cohesion across their channels, while playful animations brought the founder’s original sketches to life, honouring the brand’s history and people.
Animated education
Animation was employed as an educational tool. On product pages, activating ‘x-ray mode’ triggers a face with laser beam eyes that reveal an interactive scale, demonstrating which coffee styles are suited to the cup’s capacity.
Visualising key USPs
Designed for baristas, the cups’ key features are highlighted through CAD drawings and high-quality video content, showcasing the stackability, thin lips, and curved shapes—attributes prized by professional baristas worldwide.
Celebrating colour
An educational component celebrates the cups’ colours and the narratives behind them, seamlessly integrating mix-and-match storytelling to highlight versatility and drive additional sales. As users explore the range, they can filter by colour, with hover effects providing a preview of each option. On product pages, a colour-combo visual inspires, while the ‘create a set’ upsell feature encourages increased order values.
Improved clarity
To assist users’ exploration, a simplified naming convention was introduced, allowing customers to easily identify cup sizes. Collection page descriptions provide further details, removing the need to enter individual product pages.
Streamlined browsing
A unique list layout in the 'Shop All' category provides an overview of the Acme catalogue, detailing sizes, colourways, and coffee styles, allowing users to compare features without delving into individual product pages.
Reinforcing a reputation
At every touchpoint, Acme's hospitality expertise was celebrated. Instead of customer reviews, product pages feature testimonials from reputable coffee professionals, emphasising the brand’s integrity.
Results
By embracing Acme's history and expertise, the credibility and quality of their products were solidified. There is nothing more desirable to a coffee lover than using gear trusted by professional baristas.
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