Logo Design Process: Tin Pan Bakery

Cinnamon rolls, to-die-for chocolate chip cookies and richer brownies than any bakery in town. When Elise Richer decided it was time to open a new retail bakery in Portland, we were thrilled to help her with the branding—mostly because we wanted to know these amazing treats would be available close-by on a regular schedule.

We had worked with Elise on her previous, home-based bakery: Cream & Sugar so we were familiar with her overall approach to baking, but like her, were eager to do something new and fresh with Tin Pan Bakery.

Research

With all of our logo design clients we start with research and strategy to help our clients articulate what makes their product or service unique. We do a combination of reviewing the competition as well as teasing out the distinct benefits and attributes of their own business. We help our client be able to articulate three key and intersecting ways of looking at their brand positioning:

1. How do they see themselves? What is the core essence of their vision and what makes their product or service unique?
2. Who is their ideal client? We help them paint a picture of their best customer—demographic information like location, age, gender, etc. But also the more intangible characteristics about what is their purpose or trigger for buying?
3. What does the competition look like? Bakeries are fairly easy to research since they have retail operations in a specific geographic location. Elise had already done most of the work identifying her competition, listing out their offerings and how it will compare to Tin Pan’s. Together we looked at the feel you get from each brand to ensure that we were designing something unique.

When opening a new bakery in a somewhat crowded marketplace, I needed a logo that would capture what makes my shop special. Emily worked closely with me to develop a logo which was able to show that the bakery is both new and vibrant but also approachable and family-friendly. In addition, she guided me to selecting what has become our signature bright green color which really helps us stand out. She helped focus my thinking about my business so I could highlight the qualities that make my shop different from the rest. I could not be happier with the final result. I get complimented all the time on the logo and color scheme and I know it cements my brand in people’s minds.

—Elise Richer, Owner, Tin Pan Bakery

Our goal with this phase is to translate these word-based thoughts and images in our heads into more tangible ideas that can be the foundation of a brand identity. We followed up with some research into old tin pans and tin cookie containers. We wanted to use some of these design elements to make a connection to an era when food was hand-made with high-quality ingredients, but we also wanted to make sure it didn’t look old fashioned.

Design exploration

Next, we explore many variations internally before we meet the client, and then the best ideas get shown to the client.

We like to show each possible logo design in black and white so that people are comparing apples to apples. However, color is a critical emotional component of a logo design so we do show color may be used to really change the emotional feel of a design. By showing variations in color, typography and details the client is able to understand what is really the essence of an idea and what is changeable.

From here, one design is refined, adjusted and finalized. Below is the final logo and a business card we developed before they opened.

We also consulted with the architect-build group and worked out outdoor signage to create a modern, but comforting feeling. You can check out our design work, and more importantly, pick up some delicious sweet and savory treats for yourself at Tin Pan Bakery on Brighton Ave. in Portland, Maine.