Print & Digital Design: Mint Garden Café

Mint Garden Café is a food & flower bistrot in the heart of Milan’s city center.

Mint opened in autumn 2013, and we were was called soon after the opening to support in the management of all aspects of communication: print, digital and on social media, both strategically and practically.

With a keen eye on budget restrictions and logistic limitations, and with an inherited logo, we proceeded in revolutionizing the previous image and devised a photography-heavy approach, telling our stories with captivating images.

Less than two years later, Mint Garden Café is going strong, and has expanded the flower retail sections, as well as growing its catering business.

Keywords: #branding, #graphic_design, #communication design, #print_design, #digital_design, #art_direction, #web_design, #photography, #photo_styling, #copywriting, #social_media

Mint contacted us – at first – to reboot the previous brand image, to coordinate the communication efforts, and to build their website. The previous monochromatic take on some stylised mint leaves didn’t fully convey the venue’s flair. We were asked to rethink both print & digital design, while keeping the logo and the shade of turquoise.

We opted for a photography-heavy approach, that would transfer well the coolness and trendy mood of the location and convey its aesthetic values. Working with digital printing, we were able to deploy a “card-like” set of business cards that customers could pick up and share almost game-like.

The tagline, “food & flowers in Milano” aimed at stating, directly and upfront, what set the location apart, and the tone and the font of choice helped position the brand as “cool, trendy, yet friendly and easygoing”.

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Digital Design

Digitally, we reinforced the same look&feel through a slender, WordPress-based and responsive, display site. In the web design, we, once again, gave photography center stage.

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Print Design

To reach to the event-planning and catering audiences, we designed two mini-brochures that could work singularly and synergistically. One focuses on the bistrot, the other on flower-design. We also created a set of dedicated business cards, and tags for the packing of flowers and gifts. As with the taglines, the copy tone was amicable, cool and casual.

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The menu

We dedicated a lot of attention to the design and production of Mint Garden Cafè’s menus. In particular, we had to cater to the owners’ wishes while preserving sustainability and brand coherence. A lighter version of the menu was also translated in Russian and Chinese.

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Social Media

In less than a year, we brought Mint’s Facebook page well over 2000 fans. We created content, attended to customer service, and managed the occasional uneasy review. We also created and curated their Twitter and Instagram profiles.

Photography

Raffaella’s photography was a big part of the success of Mint Garden’s Café branding. You can see more of it on her personal portfolio.

Copywriting

All texts for both digital and print products were written by Raffaella Isidori, in both Italian and English.