“The classy Bottega Americano logo is everywhere, from the floor tiles to the servers’ aprons, yet it never feels excessive. That’s what classic styling will do.”
Creating a Brand Identity for Bottega Americano
A COMPLETE CASE-STUDY
Bottega Americano is a new Italian-style restaurant and food market that opened in downtown San Diego in September 2014. As part of the Schoos Design team, I met early with the owners and investors to discuss business strategy and branding. Originally, they wanted to call the restaurant “The Hall”.
Research and Strategy
Our team discussed the branding concept and decided a new name was needed. I then wrote a branding and marketing strategy presentation that clarified our understanding of the client's business plan and our recommendations for implementing their brand in the marketplace. (Frequently, clients discover things about their own brand during this process that they had not even considered.) The model we use for writing the plan is the pyramid seen below. The presentation then proceeds to break down each step in detail.
Choosing a Name
After our presentation, the client agreed that a new name was needed. After considerable research and brainstorming, I was the person who created the name "Mercato Americano", because it fit the business model of merging Italian and American cultures in a simple way (the notepad shows some of the other names I considered before coming up with "Americano"). Later, the chef/owner, originally from Italy, suggested using the word “Bottega”, at which point the name became "Bottega Americano".
Next, I wrote a paper that convinced ownership to relent from their insistence on calling the restaurant “The Hall” and to agree to the new name and concept. This paper also explains quite a bit about our vision for the restaurant overall. (Click the image to download the paper as a PDF.)
Creating the logo
Only after all of the above research and branding strategy was complete could work begin on corporate identity. The first item, of course, was the logo. Below are some initial "comps" for the logo, experimenting with typography, followed by the final logo with explanation.
Some early comps I created for the logo, experimenting with typography.
Creating a signature graphic
Besides creating a logo for the restaurant, we wanted to create a "signature graphic" which would became an intrinsic part of the restaurant's identity.
This graphic design, seen below, is used throughout the restaurant including the floor tiles, on the pizza oven hood, on uniforms, and in all branded materials like the menus, stationary and the website. This graphic can also be broken apart to create dozens of graphic design elements, which are used throughout the menus, printed collateral and advertisements (see galleries below).
This sequence of images shows my development process in the evolution of the design. Below that is the presentation to the client with explanation.
The graphic was then broken apart to create a whole series of graphic elements that are used as highlights, ornaments or dividers in all the restaurant's printed collateral.
Brand Identity Within the Restaurant
The following images demonstrate how the brand identity is used in the restaurant and in marketing collateral. The consistent but subtle branding approach received rave reviews in the press.
Signature graphic used as floor tiles
Branded floor tiles
Branding presentation featuring branded items in the restaurant
Designing the Website
Bottega Americano’s branding was designed to accommodate the digital space equally as well as the printed collateral and interior design. The black-and-white color scheme is restrained and classy, allowing the client’s product (food and restaurant decor) to “pop”. Typography is classic and elegant, with just enough ornament to add interest.
As in the print collateral and interior design, elements of the signature graphic are “broken out” to serve as separate, smaller graphic elements used as accents and placeholders.
In addition, the photography that is used in the restaurant makes an appearance on the website.
To see more, visit www.BottegaAmericano.com.
Menu Design
Menus continue the branding strategy by using graphic accents taken from the signature floor tile.
The images below show the innovative folding pattern I created for the menus.
Advertising
The gallery below shows a selection of print and online (or social media) ads using brand-appropriate images and our signature graphics. CLICK TO ENLARGE.
Environmental Graphics / Art
As mentioned, vintage black-and-white photography of Italy was an integral part of the brand identity for Bottega Americano. Here are the layouts I designed for the images used in several wall murals inside the restaurant to create atmosphere while also supporting the brand.
The images evoke the era of 1950’s Italy, when Italian culture, celebrities and movies became highly influential in world culture.
The mixture of style, romance and humor seen here might be called “Fellini-esque” after the great director of such films as “La Dolce Vita” and “8 1/2”. A perfect example is the elderly woman enjoying her beer, surrounded by elegant high-society types (see "elevation 1" above). Her laughter is an antidote to pretense, and encourages guests to relax and enjoy themselves.
Bottega Americano's main dining room, including the floor tiles I designed and mural I created.
The success of the brand identity and marketing strategy resulted in immediate success for Bottega Americano, summarized by Zagat calling it one of the 15 most anticipated restaurant openings in the U.S. in 2014.
“One of the 15 Most Anticipated Openings in the U.S. in 2014”