Pizzafix
Naming Concept Development Brand Identity Food Service Packaging
Pizza's bright delivery future.
Halsted Hospitality were excited to launch a food concept that focused on serving really high quality, creative pizzas that would grab a share of the popular pizza delivery market. The traditional standbys of pizza delivery were slow to adapt to ever changing consumer tastes, which are more geared to interesting combinations of gourmet toppings and creative finishes than ever before. So we set about building a fresh brand that would embody all the pleasures of pizza brought to you by delivery.
Where to start?
We were given key attribute cornerstones with which to lay the groundwork, including that the ingredients would be super high quality and a standout could be spiciness, both literally and figuratively. These helped us develop names which we grouped into categories, each with its own unique point of view. From atomic and manic to carnival and camp, this process allowed us to distill the strongest names and aesthetics for what eventually became Pizzafix.
A little bit edgy but totally catchy.
Pizzafix addressed that universal need to satisfy a nagging pizza urge. Being a portmanteau, the name had a built-in uniqueness that immediately identified the product while still rolling off the tongue. Because there were some obvious allusions one could draw, we explored many tonal avenues that both played up the name, yet steered clear of any pitfalls by creating a language all its own. Circling back to a couple of the visual concepts that struck a chord with the clients during naming, we executed different type and composition treatments to express the frenzy and energy of the brand, or conversely a more whimsical and lighthearted appeal.
All play and no work.
A library of icons, wordmarks, and lighthearted sayings allowed flexibility in the system and worked together to create a dynamic and identifiable brand. Mascots on pennyfarthings, inspired by French cyclist Léon Georget and Funny Face-era Audrey Hepburn, became the face of Pizzafix and communicated the delivery model. And because at the heart of it, pizza is just really fun, we didn’t waste the opportunity to use packaging pieces as canvases to project messages that didn’t take themselves too seriously.
Looking ahead to prevent falling behind.
Throughout our design process, we considered all the ways elements of the brand system could be used in application. Although there were many parts, every single graphic device we created had a purpose that could be meaningfully and feasibly employed. With final operational details still in flux, this allowed us to address an array of application possibilities ahead of time to avoid providing design solutions in hindsight.
Pizza for a new generation.
Loosely inspired by Constructivist posters, we assembled wallpaper meant for informing the brand at large. It became the basis for a language that would overflow into all the ancillary pieces of packaging, retail interiors, print and marketing collateral, signage, and website design. The result was a highly ownable brand that had never been associated with pizza before, but would connect with the families, millennials, and za connoisseurs looking for an alternative to stale mass market pizza.
