Zest Publication
Web Design and Branding
Art Direction: Sean Brodbeck and Scott Laserow
Overview
Zest is a digital publication for the at-home cook. I wanted this website to be a place that people could look at for recipes, tips and articles. The content for this project was borrowed from bonappetit.com.
Approach
Zest is comprised of two different sections – the recipes and the blog. In the recipe section, viewers have the option to select the main ingredients they have as filters to find specific recipes (i.e. meat, seafood, poultry, etc.). And on individual recipe pages, viewers get access to the ingredients and equipment list as well as the cooking directions. Having everything easily accessible is important in allowing people to focus on their cooking, not on looking for what they need.
The blog section of the website is meant to inspire viewers as well as help them grow. From learning what apples to bake with to how to make brown butter, these articles are meant to help the reader become more comfortable in the kitchen. Pull quotes are inserted throughout the website for both visual interest and inspiration
Brand Expansion
I expanded Zest to a quarterly catalog that is useful in not only showing how the brand exists beyond its digital form but also to consider user interaction. The catalog curates recipes and articles relating to that period of the year to inspire the at-home reader. Having a catalog sent out to subscribed readers multiple times a year is a great way to remind them that the publication exists and get them back on the website – in the catalog they are also prompted through a QR code.
Research and Wireframing
When working on branding I decided that Zest was a name that captured the concept of the brand because cooking is a hobby that brings excitement into people’s life. Working off of this, I chose colors like yellow and green because they are not only bright and friendly, but they also resemble citrus fruits that are often zested. I wanted this website to be more friendly and inviting than other sites like it because learning to cook can be intimidating – Zest is meant to be an environment that helps people grow and explore in the kitchen.
