Swap Coffee
easygoing & bizarre. A crypto exchange with café vibes
and a dinosaur on the Burj Khalifa.
and a dinosaur on the Burj Khalifa.
about
The crypto world is still full of cold interfaces, overloaded charts, and that weird feeling of pressure. But the market is shifting — and so are its users. More and more people are looking for clarity, warmth, and simplicity.
That’s exactly the mindset Swap Coffee brought to us. This decentralized exchange, built on TON, already had a logo, a name, a working product, a website, and an active social media presence. The only things they were missing were a brand identity and a voice that reflected their true essence.
That’s exactly the mindset Swap Coffee brought to us. This decentralized exchange, built on TON, already had a logo, a name, a working product, a website, and an active social media presence. The only things they were missing were a brand identity and a voice that reflected their true essence.
They weren’t just looking for a redesign. They wanted a style their community would fall in love with
— one that makes crypto feel approachable, the brand feel friendly, and the exchange instantly recognizable at a glance.
task
Our task was to create a complete visual identity based on the existing logo — one with clear logic and a bold personality.
The creative bar was set high (they literally asked for a "9 out of 10"). The goal: to stand out from every other crypto exchange and be memorable.
The project included:
— Developing creative concepts and positioning directions
— Crafting visual ideas that would define the brand’s look and feel
— Creating a mascot ("everyone has one — why shouldn’t we?")
— Applying the system to real assets: social media, merch, investor presentations
— And finally, putting it all together into a brand guideline that will support future growth
The creative bar was set high (they literally asked for a "9 out of 10"). The goal: to stand out from every other crypto exchange and be memorable.
The project included:
— Developing creative concepts and positioning directions
— Crafting visual ideas that would define the brand’s look and feel
— Creating a mascot ("everyone has one — why shouldn’t we?")
— Applying the system to real assets: social media, merch, investor presentations
— And finally, putting it all together into a brand guideline that will support future growth
We always start creative projects with brand positioning concepts to define what emotional and narrative angle the brand should lean into to stand out
Usually, we come up with three
concepts. Swap Coffee inspired a fourth.
concepts. Swap Coffee inspired a fourth.
Concept 1
Beyond Infinity
Beyond Infinity
This concept envisions cryptocurrency as the vast expanse of outer space, with the exchange serving as the shuttle, all energized by retro-futuristic vibes.
What seems complicated and distant to newbies becomes familiar, approachable, and even exciting. The visual style, along with a mascot that looks like a friendly alien, highlights the platform’s futuristic edge while keeping the vibe fun and welcoming.
What seems complicated and distant to newbies becomes familiar, approachable, and even exciting. The visual style, along with a mascot that looks like a friendly alien, highlights the platform’s futuristic edge while keeping the vibe fun and welcoming.
Concept 2
Crypto Jurassic Park
Crypto Jurassic Park
Gen X and millennials grew up collecting cards, comics, and plastic dinosaurs. Now, they collect NFTs, tokens, and digital assets.
We tapped into that nostalgia by presenting cryptocurrency as a new way to play, own, and level up.
A 3D dinosaur becomes the icon of this new era. Not only is it cute and eye-catching, but it’s also a symbol of evolution from beginner to confident crypto user.
A simple, friendly tone breaks down walls and draws people into the game. In the end, it creates a playful, dynamic, and approachable brand, especially for a young and curious audience.
We tapped into that nostalgia by presenting cryptocurrency as a new way to play, own, and level up.
A 3D dinosaur becomes the icon of this new era. Not only is it cute and eye-catching, but it’s also a symbol of evolution from beginner to confident crypto user.
A simple, friendly tone breaks down walls and draws people into the game. In the end, it creates a playful, dynamic, and approachable brand, especially for a young and curious audience.
Concept 3
Next-generation Fuel
Next-generation Fuel
In this concept, coffee stands for speed and focus, while trading represents energy.
The crypto market never sleeps. It runs 24/7, just like coffee culture.
We used that parallel to shape the brand’s tone: quick, energizing, and easy to plug into. Coffee becomes a symbol of mental clarity and momentum, and crypto feels as natural and habitual as your morning espresso.
The result? A platform that’s fast, accessible, and built for regular people, not just for crypto bros.
The crypto market never sleeps. It runs 24/7, just like coffee culture.
We used that parallel to shape the brand’s tone: quick, energizing, and easy to plug into. Coffee becomes a symbol of mental clarity and momentum, and crypto feels as natural and habitual as your morning espresso.
The result? A platform that’s fast, accessible, and built for regular people, not just for crypto bros.
Concept 4
Friendly Crypto Exchange
Friendly Crypto Exchange
This concept embodies friendliness, clarity, and a no-snobbery approach to the crypto world.
Crypto often feels complicated and exclusive, but this brand breaks down that bias. No confusing lingo, no fluff, no control, just clear explanations, a relaxed vibe, and a place where people genuinely feel comfy.
This crypto exchange is made for people like us: casual, friendly, and easy to talk to. The mascot in this concept acts as a welcoming character who makes crypto feel more human. It feels honest. It feels inviting. It’s more than just a platform, it’s a safe space to learn, trade, and feel like you’re part of something bigger.
Crypto often feels complicated and exclusive, but this brand breaks down that bias. No confusing lingo, no fluff, no control, just clear explanations, a relaxed vibe, and a place where people genuinely feel comfy.
This crypto exchange is made for people like us: casual, friendly, and easy to talk to. The mascot in this concept acts as a welcoming character who makes crypto feel more human. It feels honest. It feels inviting. It’s more than just a platform, it’s a safe space to learn, trade, and feel like you’re part of something bigger.
The fourth concept was the best match for Swap Coffee’s DNA and formed the basis of the final brand identity. Regarding the mascot, we took it from the second, nostalgia-driven dinosaur concept. The team immediately liked it, and it quickly became an integral part of the brand.
Swappy Is Born
As soon as we settled on the concept,
it was time to find the brand’s mascot — a dino that could embody the spirit of the exchange.
it was time to find the brand’s mascot — a dino that could embody the spirit of the exchange.
mascot
As soon as we settled on the concept, it was time to create the brand’s mascot — a dino that could embody the spirit of the exchange. We started to build his personality and habits, then shaped his image to match the brand’s vibe.
That’s how Swappy was born — a "bit lazy but very smart" dino who became the soul of the brand. He’s your fella. He knows everything about crypto and explains difficult things in simple terms. Plus, he loves coffee — just enough to stay focused, not jittery like a Wall Street trader. Maybe a bit slow in his moves… until it’s time to make a trade. Then he’s fully in the game.
That’s how Swappy was born — a "bit lazy but very smart" dino who became the soul of the brand. He’s your fella. He knows everything about crypto and explains difficult things in simple terms. Plus, he loves coffee — just enough to stay focused, not jittery like a Wall Street trader. Maybe a bit slow in his moves… until it’s time to make a trade. Then he’s fully in the game.
While we were working on the illustration package, ChatGPT released a new update that allowed us to turn the mascot into a full 3D character. As a result, the client received a whole set of Swappy illustrations for social media, which then became the basis for a sticker pack for the community.
Brand new drop
While we were sketching different poses for Swappy, we were also working on the visual identity. The goal was to keep the existing logo and color palette but change the overall vibe to capture the spirit of "fellas".
brand identity
We drew inspiration from the edge of streetwear, the comfort of well-designed cafés, and crypto aesthetics — all coming together to shape the brand’s visual tone.
We decided to go with a two-font system and keep the overall style minimal and clean. These ideas quickly carried over into the merch. That’s how we brought the brand’s voice to life: the merch "talks" to you, dropping crypto jokes and insider references as you wear it.
We decided to go with a two-font system and keep the overall style minimal and clean. These ideas quickly carried over into the merch. That’s how we brought the brand’s voice to life: the merch "talks" to you, dropping crypto jokes and insider references as you wear it.
All that shaped a cohesive visual system that’s easy to spread across both digital and physical assets — and built to support future marketing efforts.
Yep, social
media too
media too
Besides the brand’s general guidelines, we developed a full set of assets.
We also created a pitch deck with a clear focus on metrics, the team, partners, roadmap, and tokenomics. The result stayed true to the brand: simple, clear, and convincing.
project wrap-up
We completed all the items from the original brief:
— The logo and color palette "came to life," according to the client themselves.
— The brand guide was praised for its depth and ease of use.
— Swappy became the mascot of the brand and appeared in nearly all assets.
— The pitch decks now look cohesive, well-structured, and persuasive.
— The social media presence feels unified — with a clear, recognizable voice.
The client team was thoughtful and engaged: they knew what they didn’t want, but gave us room to explore what they did need. We delivered three strong concepts — added a fourth by mutual agreement — and nailed it. The identity was approved in the very first round. So was Swappy.
— The logo and color palette "came to life," according to the client themselves.
— The brand guide was praised for its depth and ease of use.
— Swappy became the mascot of the brand and appeared in nearly all assets.
— The pitch decks now look cohesive, well-structured, and persuasive.
— The social media presence feels unified — with a clear, recognizable voice.
The client team was thoughtful and engaged: they knew what they didn’t want, but gave us room to explore what they did need. We delivered three strong concepts — added a fourth by mutual agreement — and nailed it. The identity was approved in the very first round. So was Swappy.
- Michele InetovskySwap Coffee founderThanks a ton! The result turned out to be amazing and full of character, just like we hoped. Feels like we hit the target audience perfectly, maybe even went beyond. Everything’s clearly documented and explained at the highest level. Really looking forward to a long-term partnership — we’ve got so many exciting things ahead!
So, what’s your verdict?
More cases
Scroll like no one’s watching
