Joy & Co. Brand Identity and E-commerce Design
Joy & Co. is my own personalized gift engraving business, offering custom charcuterie boards, wine toppers, and bottle openers for weddings, events, and thoughtful gifting. This project began as a complete brand identity design and evolved into the development of a functional and inviting e-commerce website. I led the creative direction from start to finish—branding, website design, content creation, and visual merchandising—making this an especially personal and comprehensive endeavor.
As both the client and designer, I brought my vision to life through intentional design choices that aligned with the brand's tone: warm, elegant, playful, and approachable. The result is a brand that resonates with a wide audience, particularly women aged 18–65, with a special appeal to event planners and gift buyers.
Client
Joy & Co.
Service Provided
Primary Logo and Branding Assets, Color Palette and Typography System, Etsy Shop Setup, Shopify Website Design and Build, SEO Optimization, Product Photography, Product Listing Copywriting, Farmers Market Print Collateral and Digital Assets, Post-purchasing Experience Design.
The Process
My design process began with sketching and moodboarding in Illustrator and Figma. I explored several directions for the logo, ultimately choosing a modern serif logotype that feels refined yet welcoming. I paired it with a minimalist engraving icon system to visually reinforce the customization focus without overwhelming the viewer. To build a strong, joyful brand presence from the ground up and successfully launch a cohesive digital and physical retail experience for a new handmade product business. Next, I built the e-commerce experience in Shopify, customizing a theme to align with the brand aesthetic and ensure ease of navigation. I wrote all product copy, styled and photographed each item, and integrated real-time preview mockups to show users what their personalized engravings would look like. A major focus was designing an intuitive flow for customization, with dropdowns and character limits to guide the user gently through the process.
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The Challenge
The core challenge was to differentiate Joy & Co. in the highly saturated market of customizable gifts. I needed to create a brand that felt both luxurious and fun, while staying accessible and easy to navigate for customers of all tech comfort levels. The products themselves are minimalist and elegant, so the branding had to strike a balance between intentional simplicity and emotional appeal. Additionally, since the products are personalized via engraving without the option for color customization, the visual identity needed to carry the warmth and creativity of the brand through type, photography, and layout alone. Ensuring this across both print and digital experiences, especially within an e-commerce platform, added an extra layer of complexity.
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Research & Discovery
I started by researching competitors in the engraved gift and charcuterie market, identifying common aesthetic pitfalls, overly rustic visuals, cluttered interfaces, and lack of brand cohesion. I also surveyed potential buyers to better understand what they value most in gift-buying: ease of customization, beautiful packaging, and clear product visuals were among the top priorities. Because Joy & Co. was a solo project, I had the opportunity to move quickly from research into iterative testing. I experimented with color palettes and moodboards until the tone felt aligned with both the target audience and the product style. I leaned into warm, natural textures and soft neutrals to evoke joy and intentionality—central values of the brand.
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The Process
My design process began with sketching and moodboarding in Illustrator and Figma. I explored several directions for the logo, ultimately choosing a modern serif logotype that feels refined yet welcoming. I paired it with a minimalist engraving icon system to visually reinforce the customization focus without overwhelming the viewer. To build a strong, joyful brand presence from the ground up and successfully launch a cohesive digital and physical retail experience for a new handmade product business. Next, I built the e-commerce experience in Shopify, customizing a theme to align with the brand aesthetic and ensure ease of navigation. I wrote all product copy, styled and photographed each item, and integrated real-time preview mockups to show users what their personalized engravings would look like. A major focus was designing an intuitive flow for customization, with dropdowns and character limits to guide the user gently through the process.
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Final Deliverables
The final deliverables included: - A complete brand identity suite: primary and secondary logos, a custom color palette, a typographic system, and branded patterns and textures - The full Shopify website, including homepage, product pages, and listing copy - Supporting assets like packaging mockups, social media templates, and product photography and videos - Email marketing templates for post-purchase and abandoned carts What I’m especially proud of is how seamlessly the branding and website work together to create a unified customer experience. The visual system not only communicates the tone of the brand but also enhances usability, making it easy for customers to shop with confidence. Every element—from the photography style to the copywriting—was chosen to evoke joy, trust, and creativity.
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Outcome & Results
Since launching, Joy & Co. has seen consistent growth in traffic and sales, largely through Etsy ads and organic social content. The aesthetic and functionality of the site have been well-received, with particular praise for the simplicity of the customization interface and the visual appeal of the packaging and products. Customers have commented on how “giftable” everything feels right out of the box. The cohesive branding has also opened doors to potential retail expansion. I'm exploring partnerships with local boutiques and developing a pre-designed line for retailers. The strength of the brand system has made it easy to create scalable packaging and marketing collateral for future growth.
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Reflection
This project taught me the power of intentionality at every stage of the brand journey. Designing for myself as the client was both liberating and challenging; it required me to maintain high creative standards while being honest about what was working. I learned how to balance aesthetic vision with customer experience, ensuring that every decision supported both form and function. In the future, I’ll continue refining this process for client work by bringing the same level of clarity and cohesion to every project. Joy & Co. has been a living portfolio piece that showcases not just my design skills but also my strategic thinking, storytelling, and ability to build a brand that feels deeply personal and commercially viable.
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