YummyColours redesigned the Harvard COOP brand identity, returning the cooperative to its community-first roots with a refined and enduring visual system

The Harvard Cooperative Society, founded in 1882, started as a place where Harvard students could buy firewood, books, and daily necessities at fair prices. Over time, it became a node of shared memory — alumni still recalled their membership numbers by heart. By the late 20th century, however, the institution had shifted toward souvenir retail, losing the communal warmth that once defined it. The new brand identity marks a deliberate return to that founding purpose.

New York-based creative studio YummyColours led the creative and strategic effort. Their charge was not simply to update the logo but to rebuild a full design system — one capable of carrying the COOP through retail spaces, digital platforms, signage, events, and a new collaboration framework called EDIT.

A Brand Identity Built from the Archives

The logo work began with archival research. YummyColours studied historic materials to understand the visual authority the original wordmark held, then refined it carefully rather than replacing it. Type proportions were adjusted for clarity and versatility, making the mark more legible across modern applications while preserving its character. The result feels familiar but confident: rooted in the COOP's 144-year legacy without being confined by it.

The color palette was expanded and the typography modernized to support a full design system. Environmental applications show the breadth of that system — from barricades wrapped in bold crimson-and-white livery to vertical flag treatments that carry the wordmark at scale. Photography by Brayan Mesa grounds the brand identity in real spaces and lived experiences rather than styled abstractions.

Creative direction came from Connie Lui and Diego Marini of YummyColours, alongside Adrian Gill, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer at the COOP. The team also included designer Lalit Sitta, project manager Denize Maaløe, and motion designer Antoine Mauron.

For more information visit YummyColours