Our Design Agency, has created the new brand identity and communication for Costa’s first ever food concept store. Costa Fresco will see the brand focus on a new food offer when it opens its doors on Tottenham Court Road on December 7th.
The Shoreditch based agency of ten was challenged to translate the nation’s favourite coffee brand into a food focused proposition with real standout in an increasingly competitive high street context.
The scope of the job encompassed everything from brand strategy and tone of voice for all communication and in-store messaging, to identity creation and all design elements including print, signage, wall art, packaging, digital menu boards and point of sale. The agency also created an online brand film at www.costa.co.uk/Fresco and local OOH campaign.
The creative idea: “The Barista, The Baker, The Happiness Maker Est London 1971” is firmly rooted in the warmth and heritage of the Costa brand, while also introducing an identity for Costa Fresco’s food proposition as the Anglo-Italian bakery.
The agency worked closely with Costa to identify a role for current brand assets throughout the creative execution. The brand’s well-known burgundy colour provides a coffee anchor, and the subtle use of Costa’s iconic wave pattern provides cohesion and familiarity around the restaurant for customers.
New sub-brand elements were introduced to distinguish Costa Fresco and bring real food credentials to the identity. They include a fresh colour palette, a handwritten typeface suggestive of the laid back style of the food, and new style of rustic photography, evident in digital menu boards and promotional material. Importantly, the distinctive tone of voice and messaging throughout the store celebrates quality food with Costa’s characteristic warmth. Costa Fresco’s signature product inspired by Italian flatbread, and named The Rustico, for example, is signed off with a fun call to action, “enjoy the flatter ciabatta.”
Our Design Agency’s Strategy Director, Sarah Westwood, said: “The team at Costa are fantastic and this was an exciting project for us to be leading. They loved our response to the brief which was to consider the complete sub-brand identity. We looked at how the brand communicates, as well as how it looks. Be it a carry bag, a piece of wall art or a napkin, we viewed every touch point as an opportunity to express Costa Fresco’s genuine personality”
Our Design Agency is a brand design and communications agency founded by ex-WMH senior team Creative Director Grant Willis, M.D Panna Patel, and Creative Strategist and Writer Sarah Westwood. Made up of strategists, and writer and designer teams, the agency’s most recent work includes the repositioning and rebrand of Living Streets, the national charity for everyday walking and a brand identity for Brighton Gin. Other clients include Raymond Blanc and The Royal Automobile Club. The agency is also partnering with Costa on other projects.