NO LONGER FORBIDDEN
PUBLISHED IN MG RETAILER - JANUARY 2019
Barry Lai on Garden of Eden’s Brand Design philosophy
“The dispensary’s building wasn’t the only thing to receive an update: Among other contributions to the new aesthetic, Barry Lai of Design Rehab redesigned the logo. Lai, a multidisciplinary art director based in San Francisco, is known for creating unique digital and analog experiences. “At the core of these solutions is visual communication, an art form that must be succinct, direct, and lasting,” he said.
Lai’s Garden of Eden logo represents many things—especially the company’s East Bay heritage. “Of course, it is symbolic of the Tree of Knowledge and the forbidden fruit,” El-Sissi said. “But if you are a San Francisco local, you will also see representation of the [Bay Area Rapid Transit] map with Garden of Eden as the forbidden fruit.”
Lai noted, “The red hue sparingly calls attention to important aspects. The idea behind the brand was to not only have it speak for itself, but also give the consumer a great out-of-box experience with everything from the remodel to the packaging.”
Color was employed to deliver a subliminal message in other ways, as well, according to Sand. “An ongoing exploration of thoughtful minimalism is what I was hoping to achieve through our color blocking,” she said. “The idea was to communicate quality through a clean, streamlined ecosystem.”
