REDESIGN OF VISUAL IDENTITY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN COTOPAXI, ECUADOR

Abstract

In the rural neighborhoods of Ecuador, grocery stores or general stores have a visual identity that reflects the idiosyncrasy of their owners and compete with large urban businesses. This article analyzes the design of a visual identity based on the philosophy of small rural merchants in the rural neighborhood of Colaya Jurídica in Latacunga. It defines the elements of a commercial sign for small businesses. The research approach was qualitative, with a case study methodological design, applying the design thinking method (Lupton, 2012), and oriented to five stages: empathize, define, devise, prototype, and evaluate. The case selection was based on the consent of a merchant who opted to redesign her business identity in response to a call for participants interested in supporting entrepreneurship. The results describe the process of redesigning the identity of the small grocery store, detail the elements considered for the study, reflect on the design of the visual brand for popular stores in the rural sector, and identify some reasons for the lack of interest in the creation of stylized signs and the lack of professional design.