Horsing around: Tulum café Story Horse gets a caffeinated horse mascot, courtesy of Andrés Higueros

“What’s the story, horse?” This phrase is not only a common Irish way of saying ‘How’s it going?’ but also the starting point of Story Horse, a café located in Tulum, Mexico. The founders, a couple from Ireland and Mexico, opted to name their café after this phrase, setting the stage for a place where people can connect and share their stories over coffee. Intending to offer something different, “a bold, fun, and unique coffee store,” they worked with Art Director & Designer Andrés Higueros on the identity, to create something that stands out from other coffee shops in the area, that often rely on generic branding, and coffee icons without a clear concept. “The main brand concept was ‘Stories from Tulum,’” Higueros tells us, who started the project by creating its central character, a horse who is addicted to coffee. The mascot is drawn in a carefree, sketchy, doodle-like and naïve style, “so it wouldn’t feel too serious, while still giving off a playful, cartoonish vibe.” From surfing and sunbathing to getting stuck in a teapot – he’s having a blast! For Higueros, humour was a way to ensure that people would not only remember the character but also connect with Story Horse’s customers. Coupled with a hand-drawn wordmark, a vibrant colour palette, and GT Maru from Grilli Type, these zany horse adventures feature throughout the brand’s applications, including a sticker system instead of fully custom-printed packaging. This, Higueros explains, helps significantly reduce production costs while reinforcing the playful spirit of the brand. “Stickers can be printed in small batches, are cheaper to produce, and allow flexibility to update or change visuals without reprinting entire packaging runs,” he says. “At the same time, this approach keeps the brand fun and dynamic; each bag or cup can feature different illustrations and layouts, adding variety while using a single base format.”