In a growing, highly dynamic market, illy intends to confirm its quality-led leadership and to actuate a series of emotion-driven steps to establish a more engaging, affective relationship with its audience and attract new consumers. To refresh visual identity of the brand, illy commissioned RobilantAssociati to redefine its basic range’s identity—the project talks about the whole product range with enhanced clarity and introduces a brand language with greater expressive impact, without betraying the rigour and iconic status which have always been brand personality trait.

Last year, illy encouraged students and alumni of the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York present their own vision on Big Apple through photography in the AuthentiCity competition. In October, 2010 the main prize $10,000 in cash was awarded to Igor Aronov, who was selected out of five finalists for his bespoke impressionism-inspired series ‘Reflection of the City.’ The coffee brand is now returning with the second installment of the project, which attracted over two hundred photographers in its first year, and inviting aspiring visual artists to explore the nature of the city with their cameras again and unlock its secrets in their stills.

Starbucks is continuing the activity dedicated to its 40th anniversary by introducing new offerings and designs as well as announcing upcoming events revolving around the big date. Yesterday, March 8, Popsop reported on the launch of the new logo of the brand and previewed a range of volunteering projects slated for April, and now the new Starbucks eco-store design, unveiled in Knightsbridge (London), gets into the spotlight.

Design of venue locations is as important as the look of the product itself, and knowing that celebrated international brands from time to time revamp the store design of its major retail stores (Nike, Converse, Burger King and Levi’s to name a few). D-ash Design, a New York-based environmental design firm, has created new interiors in dark browns and bright creams for new flagship venues of international chocolate-maker Godiva, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year.

This March, Starbucks is turning 40, and to celebrate the occasion, the coffee giant is launching the new Starbucks Tribute blend, rolling out the borderless logo today, March 8, and announcing a bunch of activities to make the neighborhoods thrive. For the ‘volunteering’ part of the of anniversary celebrations, the brand is calling its community-minded consumers to spend a couple of hours improving their towns and cities throughout the month of April, a Global Month of Service at Starbucks.

On March 2, Costa, the biggest cofee retailer in the U.K., announced its plans on launching a new chain of self-serve coffee bars for the customers who want a high-quality coffee on the go.

This announcement was made yesterday after it was reported that Costa had aquired Coffee Nation, a chain of self-service coffee bars across the country. It is understood that Coffee Nation facilities and equipment will serve as a terrific platform for Costa Express. According to the official press announcement, the first bars of Costa Express chain will start operating in June 2011.

Starbucks, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is releasing a new limited-edition blend to mark the occasion of the company’s presence in the market for four decades. In early January, the company unveiled its revamped logo (it followed the examples of Apple and Nike and dropped the name and the circle around the siren), which now symbolizes Starbucks’ strive to move beyond borders. And now the new addition to the ‘anniversary pack’ comes—the Starbucks Tribute Blend, which speaks to the company’s heritage, is to appear in stores in a week.