Revamping the Brand Identity of a Home Bakery to Foster Expansion and Growth
This case study details the steps to develop a new brand identity for a small bakery business. I served as the art director and worked alongside a talented new designer as my mentee. The rebranding effort involved creating a new brand strategy, including a refreshed logo and identity, along with other relevant brand components.
Rebranding is a collaborative journey where the designer, business owner, and target audience must come together as one. It is a balancing act where the designer must listen to the business owner’s vision and the owner must listen to the customer’s needs, all while everyone listens to each other. It’s not just about creating the perfect logo and branding, but it’s also about the joy and fulfillment that comes from the process itself.
Duration: 3 months
Role: Art Direction
Designer: Tatyana
The story behind it
Our team received a request from the owner of a home bakery who wishes to rebrand her business. Lusine, the skilled and talented baker, has been successfully operating her bakery for six years and specializes in creating delightful treats such as cakes, cupcakes, and macaroons. In order to expand her business by hosting masterclasses, supplying restaurants and cafes, and eventually opening her own bakery, Lusine aspires to enhance her brand identity. It is crucial for her business to have a distinct and suitable brand image to remain competitive.
Meanwhile, my mentee Tanya and I were searching for an engaging project to collaborate on. And it was a stroke of luck for all of us.
The Challenge
- Outdated logo (style, typography, colors)
- The current logo has become dated and the original design files for creating the brand identity and developing digital and visual assets are no longer available.
- The current logo no longer resonates with the primary brand message and connects with the target audience.
Step 1
During our initial meeting, we crafted the design brief, tailored to Lusine’s needs. We highlighted the key requests, identified pain points, listed items to steer clear of, offered suggestions, and provided references.
- “I am in search of new ideas for my brand, specifically trendy color combinations, intresting fonts. I have a fondness for beige colors, but I am open to exploring other options”
- Lusine
We delved into Lusine’s requirements through an enlightening conversation with Lusine. Our focus was on understanding her target audience and the main message her brand conveys. We explored the first impression Lusine wants her customers to feel when they encounter her brand. With a collaborative effort, we crafted her brand’s mission and vision, identified her nearest goals, and zeroed in on the keywords that will drive the creation of her brand’s future logo.
The brand will have a strong presence across various touchpoints including the logo, business card, and social media platforms (posts and stories). Additionally, the brand will be represented in print assets such as labels for caramel and jam, cake packaging, banners for master classes, and various marketing materials.
Step 2
For the second meeting, Tanya and I conducted research and competitive analysis. We gathered information on current logo trends and the best color combinations for home bakers. To assist in presenting ideas to Lusine, we also compiled some typography styles and logo concepts as references.
From our discussion, we gained a clear understanding of Lusine’s preferences and what she wants to avoid in her brand, including yellow colors, overly playful elements, and poor color combinations. We also discovered the desired keywords and color combinations that Lusine particularly likes.
Here are the key terms we focused on:
- Exclusive
- Not cloying
- Joyful
- Heartwarming desserts
- Cozy
Step 3
Tanya and I took the next step by creating digital and handmade sketches for our client, Lusine. Each concept was carefully crafted to align with Lusine’s vision of exclusivity, coziness, and family-oriented appeal, all while capturing a festive and joyful mood. The exciting part came when we got to collaborate with Lusine to finalize the color scheme, and typography, and select the best emblem variation. With Lusine’s valuable feedback in mind, we couldn’t wait to bring the final logo design to life.
-I’m really thrilled with the green and light pink combination, as well as the vinous and light pink or white pairing. The calligraphy typography looks rich and joyful, just as I desired. I also appreciate the line logo illustration of the cake and how it seamlessly blends with the “Leftsudecake” name.”
- Lusine
Step 4
After receiving positive feedback from Lusine, our team embarked on a brand delivery project to refine the logo. Our focus was on achieving pixel-perfect illustration and ensuring that the colors were accurately represented in both digital and print formats.
As a result, we were able to deliver a comprehensive branded kit that included assets for digital platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, as well as physical branded elements such as stickers for baked goods, business cards, bags for cake delivery, and labels for homemade jams and caramels.
Next Steps
Lusine and our team are currently planning the next steps, which include scheduling a professional photo shoot for her bakery products and preparing for the opening of the bakery in the near future.
