Repositioning an established, French bistro in Liverpool

Bistro Franc delivers the taste of Marseille, Nice and St-Tropez to the profoundly greyer coastal city of Liverpool. Their issue: they’d previously reeled in audiences by marketing themselves as “French”, but wanted to cast a wider net by rebranding as “Mediterranean”. A tall order, but a tasty rebrand was on the menu.

Vintage photography was used throughout this project, paying homage to vintage posters of the French Riviera. For colour: a deep blue conjuring to mind the waters of le côte d’azur in evenings tinkling with laughter and the clink of dinner plates. As a motif, a snail was made from the chosen font, weaving throughout branded material to nod to the cuisine that inspired it all. Illustrations, a loping font and rounded elements all added a whimsical modernity to a previously old-fashioned house style. In the end, we served up a visual identity that spoke two languages: one of a stylish French restaurant with traditional roots, the other of playful chic in a relaxed mediterranean ethos.