Alessi is an Italian-based housewares and kitchen utensil company. This project includes a creative brief and redesign.
Independence Project
Hahyun Seo
Responsibilities
Brand Redesign,
Brand Identity Development,
Market Research,
Designing visual elements
Timeline
4 weeks
Software
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
This project was conducted as part of Seneca Polytechnic's Interactive Media Design Program, and I participated in a creative brief and brand redesign project based on Alessi, a real housewares and kitchen utensil company. The goal of this project was not only to understand the creative brief and execute the brand redesign but also to comprehend relevant design principles and strategies. Through this project, I had the opportunity to delve deeper into the realms of branding and design.
Project Overview
Alessi caters to individuals with a preference for modern and minimalist design, offering innovative kitchen and home products for those seeking sophisticated and stylish living solutions. The primary objective of this project is to raise awareness and promote the global brand Alessi within Canada, showcasing comprehensive strategies and rebranding efforts tailored to its needs.
Key Challenge
Alessi, the global brand originating from Italy, currently faces low brand awareness and recognition in Canada. While Alessi products are sold within the prominent 'Indigo' brand stores in Canada, customers are still unfamiliar with Alessi's product range, design, and artisanal ethos. The most challenging task is to introduce Alessi's rich history to them and highlight that its products are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functionally convenient.
Purpose of Communication
The ultimate purpose of communication is to establish Alessi as a highly recognized kitchenware brand in Canada, showcasing Alessi's unique design and rich artisanal heritage. The goal is to create a positive awareness, positioning Alessi as a brand with a profound history and a contemporary, sophisticated image in the kitchenware market. By leveraging Alessi's strengths, the aim is to expand market share, with a specific focus on engaging Millennials and Gen X through social media channels.
Competitors
It's a brand with recognition and a Simplistic style within Canada, favoured by both Gen X and Millennial generations.
It is a well-known brand in Canada that sells high-quality clothing and lifestyle products. Known for its casual yet modern style, the brand not only offers apparel but also sells kitchenware. Due to its high recognition, the kitchenware products are also popular.
Fox Home was founded in 2010 with a new and innovative concept for the home products market. Fox Home provides a wide range of contemporary home products while offering the consumer a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, great quality, and value for cost.
Our Place has been achieving great success by selling stylish kitchen essentials and gaining significant popularity through social media. The cookware from Our Place stands out with its beautiful design and, more importantly, its patented nonstick coating called Thermakind, which, according to the brand, is designed to last 50% longer. This coating sets it apart from other products, making it a unique feature of the brand.
Target Audience
Alessi's primary target audience consists of individuals from the millennial and Gen X generations. It particularly focuses on those who have an interest in simple, minimalist design.
The Deliverables
Logo Redesign: Creating a new design for Alessi's logo that aligns with the current 2023 trends and makes a significant impact on the Canadian audience.
Advertisements Two Ways: Designing an effective social media ad to showcase Alessi's current products and creating a bus shelter advertisement to captivate a broader audience.
Tone & Brand Voice
Tone: Alessi's tone strives for a sophisticated and refined direction. Alessi aims to communicate with customers through the design and practicality of its products, presenting a brand that is calm yet distinctive and creative. Additionally, it embodies warm and friendly characteristics.
Brand Voice: Alessi's brand voice incorporates the minimalistic and modern feel the brand possesses, maintaining a calm yet powerful demeanour. It emphasizes concise yet vivid language. For example, one could say, "We unveil new designs through the aesthetics of minimalism and modern technology."
Logo design
Alessi's logo was meticulously crafted to resonate with its core mission of showcasing straightforward yet minimalist kitchenware products. The deliberate inclusion of a fork in the final 'i' of Alessi's logo serves as a visual cue, offering an immediate glimpse into the brand's signature product range. The simplicity of the logo is designed to be instantly recognizable and evokes a sense of sophistication tied to Alessi's artistic and innovative identity.
In selecting a font that seamlessly combines sharp edges with gentle curves, Alessi aimed to strike a harmonious balance between a modern, sleek aesthetic and an inviting, artistic image. This font choice communicates a sense of honesty and creativity, reinforcing Alessi's positioning as a brand that values both simplicity and artistic expression within the kitchenware industry. The incorporation of soft curves in the logo's design introduces a fluidity that steers clear of the rigidity often associated with straight lines, further accentuating Alessi's unparalleled and distinctive brand identity.
To complement Alessi's serene and professional image, a subdued color palette ranging from a bright brown to a lighter shade was carefully chosen. The use of a brown hue with undertones of craftsmanship exudes a calm, comfortable, and practical ambiance, while the slightly lighter shade adds a touch of brightness. The incorporation of white elements further enhances the overall aesthetic, infusing a clean and modern impression into Alessi's visual identity. While the color may shift slightly based on the poster's background or ambiance, white and light brown remain consistently as the foundational base.
Media Strategy
Social media marketing:
Since Alessi is already using platforms like Instagram and Facebook, it's time to expand their use and devise new strategies. Lately, Instagram Reels has been particularly popular, so creating visually appealing content using this feature is crucial. Targeting the social media-savvy millennial generation, focus on creating Reels videos aligned with current trends. The goal is to increase followers and shares, riding the wave of high trends. For instance, create videos showcasing how to use Alessi products. Instead of just filming, especially with Christmas approaching, decorate and prepare Christmas dishes using Alessi products, capturing the moments in Reels format. The key is to emphasize how practical and easy it is to make delicious food with Alessi's products. Utilize YouTube Shorts, a format similar to Instagram Reels, as YouTube is a massive social media platform with widespread reach. Open a channel on YouTube and leverage the Reels-style videos there as well. Since YouTube Shorts is gaining traction, it's essential to be present on this influential platform.
Tictok
Content marketing:
Alessi's online advertising campaign will be targeted towards our key demographics, GenX, the millennial generation, and the diverse international community residing in Canada. Emphasizing Alessi's modern, sophisticated, and practical brand image, we will focus on creating content that resonates with these audiences. For example, producing high-quality blog content is an excellent approach. By establishing a blog, we aim to provide detailed insights into how our products can be used. This involves breaking down the usage steps, making it easy for everyone to understand and incorporate. Additionally, we'll not only showcase product usage but also provide cooking recipes, encouraging people to learn how to cook while naturally developing an interest in Alessi's products. Taking into consideration the diverse international community in Canada, we will offer a variety of recipes catering to different nationalities and preferences.
Bus Shelter Poster Marketing:
Focusing on major cities, including Toronto and Vancouver, as well as prominent cities in each province in Canada, we will conduct poster advertisements in the downtown areas where people heavily use buses, specifically targeting the Gen X demographic, who are more accustomed to poster ads than social media promotions. Selecting Alessi's most popular products, we will convey our chief message and logo in a simple manner.
