Through a new logotype, tagline, and cohesive in-store and digital visuals, we crafted a brand identity that resonates with both traditional and modern audiences.
In collaboration with Pomegranate Media in London, we embarked on Nuvola’s rebranding journey to create a fast-food experience rooted in authentic Italian values while catering to a health-conscious, urban audience.
From Scratch to Strategy
Uncovering Nuvola’s Unique Values
Francesca Frosini’s frustration at not finding healthy, flavourful Italian options in London was the seed of inspiration. With this vision, we crafted a brand that celebrates Italian culinary heritage with the convenience and lightness today’s consumers crave.
Our initial phase included extensive research into customer expectations and market positioning to inform Nuvola’s unique value proposition. We conducted surveys and a Discovery Session, revealing three primary customer personas: the British Male City Worker, the British Female City Worker, and Tourists.
Bridging Tradition and Modernity
Defining Nuvola’s Brand Challenge
Through research and collaboration, we identified Nuvola’s primary challenge:
to balance its Italian culinary heritage with modern expectations of fast, healthy, and accessible food.
The brand needed to appeal to a health-conscious but time-poor audience who valued tradition but sought convenience. Nuvola’s core values – joy, heritage, health, and quality – guided the direction.
The logotype and tagline, “Light-Hearted Italian Food & Coffee,” communicated these values effectively, blending heritage with a laid-back, modern approach.
Crafting Nuvola’s Identity
Name, Logo, and Visual Essence
We created both the name Nuvola and the logotype from scratch, developing human-centred solutions that emphasised lightness, both in the food and brand identity.
We explored different options to highlight either the lightness or the slow cooking, ultimately modernising the logotype. ITC Century Bold and Bliss Light were combined to create a fresh, approachable feel while honouring traditional Italian roots.
The colour palette, inspired by seasonal Italian ingredients, evoked a joyful yet calming aesthetic that aligned with Nuvola’s values of authenticity and laid-back sophistication.
The distinctive element of Nuvola’s brand identity is its unique, non-traditional graphic mark.
In an era where “cloud” icons are often associated with technology, Nuvola’s symbol is designed to evoke the core values of the brand rather than blend in with digital clichés.
This metamorphic symbol reflects Nuvola’s evolving approach to business—diverse offerings that still maintain a focus on light, healthy cuisine.
The logotype is versatile, working equally well in solid colour or reversed out of a background, and is strategically positioned along the horizon line to represent clouds floating upward, capturing a sense of lightness and elevation inherent in the brand.
Bringing Nuvola to Life
Seamless Integration Across Touchpoints
The rebranding was rolled out across multiple touchpoints, including in-store visuals, packaging, and digital presence. Throughout the process, we tested different concepts with various naming and symbols to ensure the best fit for Nuvola’s identity. The updated logotype and brand messaging were seamlessly integrated into the website, menus, and packaging, creating a consistent and cohesive brand experience. In-store visuals, with their light-hearted messages and joyful imagery, reinforced the relaxing and healthy environment Nuvola sought to create for its customers.
The adhesive labels are applied to every handmade product, designed with a high degree of flexibility to accommodate tailored packaging needs while staying within a modest budget.
Key products are displayed through a consistent graphic design that pairs with the main visual campaign and provides a flexible layout to be used for seasonal product launches.
Designing the Nuvola Experience
Crafting Spaces that Reflect Italian Warmth and Lightness
The design of Nuvola’s word clouds serves both as a medium for delivering key messages and as a decorative element throughout the store.
These typographic compositions, paired with architectural elements reminiscent of Italian domestic spaces, create an environment that feels rooted in heritage.
The walls act as a white canvas, where objects emerge like cherished memories, evoking a sense of nostalgia. Certain areas of the shop are crafted as 3D installations—immersive “paintings” that convey emotional stories and reinforce the brand’s connection to Italian warmth and tradition.
Italo Calvino’s idea that “thoughtful lightness can make frivolity seem dull and heavy” perfectly encapsulates Nuvola’s brand philosophy.
Just as Calvino believed in the power of simplicity and depth, Nuvola’s Italian cuisine is crafted with a similar restraint—each dish is balanced, flavourful, and rooted in tradition without excess.
This approach embodies Nuvola’s commitment to thoughtful, authentic food that feels light yet deeply satisfying, turning every meal into a meaningful experience.
A Bittersweet Farewell
Honouring Nuvola’s Legacy Amidst the Challenges of 2020
In the midst of the 2020 Covid pandemic, Nuvola, a cherished Italian café, found itself facing an insurmountable obstacle. The sudden silence that filled its once-vibrant space was a stark contrast to the warmth and laughter that had defined it.
Despite the unwavering dedication of Francesca and her team, the unrelenting pressure of the pandemic ultimately took its toll.
For Francesca, Nuvola was more than a business – it was a deeply personal expression of her heritage and passion. The café’s closure marked the poignant end of a chapter, leaving behind a trail of memories: comforting meals shared, laughter echoed, and a community nurtured.
Though its doors are now closed, Nuvola’s legacy remains, etched in the hearts of those who experienced its authentic Italian cuisine and warm hospitality.
