A Piece of Cake

Started in 1985 out of Sacramento, California, Ettore’s Bakery had grown from a small croissant shop to an operation of  over 125 employees,with a vision to  go nationwide. We were asked to rebrand the company in preparation for expansion, updating into the kind of brand they had evolved into, attracting a wider demographic to their cafes.

Cake, cake, and more cake. That’s what Ettore’s was known for. In developing our brand strategy, we landed on the direction of creating and sharing traditions; and championing all things homemade. So in creating the logo, we wanted to exemplify these themes by championing their legacy item (cake!), and using a handcrafted style.

We worked directly with their head wedding cake designer, who tested a variety of different frosting tips and script styles with us until we found variations to build a design from. The result: a mark that merged “Ettore’s” + “Cake” + “Handmade” in a tasty way.

Continuing the creative direction, we incorporated a color palette and watercolor texture that was inspired by seasonal ingredients and organics – real colors you can find within their food.

With the expansion, Ettore’s had leased a new 11,000 sq. ft. cafe in Roseville, CA – and it needed a vision. In concepting the interior designs, we wanted to attract a broader audience, who would skew younger. So we opened up the exterior to make it feel industrial yet still inviting, with cantilevered floor-to-ceiling windows; and we welcomed people in with painted cakes across the entryway.

Right away, we wanted guests to be excited about pastry, so we directed traffic toward a custom-decorating bakery window at the entrance, where anyone could customize the treat they ordered. 

And we added elements like a custom chandelier made to feel like a mix of bursting plates and kitchen tools dancing above your head.