Valeria Barrero and Alejandro Alvarado, undergraduate students of Graphic Design at the School of Communication of the University of Espíritu Santo (UEES), won the first and second place in the Official Logo contest of the Superfoods Cluster Ecuador. This initiative was organized by the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments, and Fisheries as part of the 2023 business platform Macrorrueda, the most important in the country, where key representatives of the productive industries that boost Ecuador’s foreign trade come together.
Currently, the Superfoods market is experiencing constant growth and international demand. Superfoods are foods that have high levels of nutrients and health benefits, making them an attractive option for people interested in improving their lifestyle. Considering Ecuador’s richness in biodiversity and natural resources, the decision was to implement a Superfoods cluster to boost the local economy by offering nutritious and sustainable food, which is highly valued in international markets.
This year, the Superfoods cluster decided to open a contest for professional designers, freelancers, and universities with graphic design students. UEES students, Valeria Barrero and Alejandro Alvarado, were guided by professor Mario Moncayo Romero, MSc., who closely followed the brand manual proposals presented to the Superfoods cluster.
This experience allowed students to unleash their creativity with the aim of highlighting the attributes of the products, and each proposal successfully captured their strengths in an authentic and effective way. The students conducted thorough research as part of the design process to determine the characteristic elements of the Superfoods and defined the use of colors to captivate the jury.
When designing the logo, consideration was given to the identity and differentiation of the cluster within a highly competitive market. Therefore, the focus was on designing a logo according to the needs of the Superfoods cluster. In this way, its authenticity in the industry could be highlighted and the logo could convey corporate values. Additionally, the logo aims to effectively communicate information about the quality of the products it represents, using its corporate colors: lime green and dark green, representing organic products in their harvest presentation, as well as magenta, representing the color of amaranth, a Superfood known for its cardiovascular and antioxidant benefits. Furthermore, the representation of the quinoa leaf in the union of the two “O”s is directly linked to the sustainability, variety, and nutritional density of its products. It also represents the balance in consumer well-being and the unity of the companies that make up the cluster.
It is important to highlight that the design of an appropriate logo can address the needs of the Superfoods Cluster Ecuador, which is to stand out in a competitive market. The logo is necessary as it provides corporate identity, effective visual communication, and differentiation in the international Superfoods cluster market. In other words, the logo becomes a driving force and an essential tool for market penetration, with a solid and recognizable identity.
In conclusion, this experience allowed the students to put into practice the skills acquired in the Graphic Design program. Moreover, they were able to apply previous knowledge in a professional context. These types of partnerships between academia and institutions linked to the productive sector create spaces that foster learning and imagination, which are useful for professional development. It is worth noting the trust of the Superfoods cluster in academia, the support of the university, the mentorship of the professor who encouraged the students to pursue this challenge, and all those who were part of this great journey.
La Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), inicia sus actividades académicas en el año 1994 como institución privada, autofinanciada y sin fines de lucro. Su espíritu de compromiso y constante innovación están presentes en la calidad del servicio que ofrece a su comunidad.
