Waitrose – one of the UK’s oldest and most respected supermarket chains – wanted to translate their unique positioning into an out-of-store event, in the form of a Food & Drinks Festival.
Waitrose’s brand has been built through evolutions, rather than revolutions. Its logo has changed only once since its creation in 1984 and has been the same since its 2004 refresh. As this was its first festival, there were no existing assets. We were asked to create an identity from scratch, while retaining the heritage of the main brand. It was vital to acknowledge and use Waitrose’s existing masterbrand assets and equity, while focusing on the aspirations for the festival. This became an opportunity to create a platform that showcased the suppliers’ stories and products.
Inspired by their reputation for quality, we wanted to highlight Waitrose’s dedication to their suppliers relationships. It was clear from the beginning of our immersion that these passionate people would form the heart of the festival. Many of them are artisan and the focus on quality is strong, their products supported by incredible stories.
We decided to portray this passion and dedication through illustration, creating a unique letterform representing each different product group and its craft. This was then integrated with our typographical style, and these unique decorative letters became the core visual for the festival. They were used as wayfinding signals in the venue, and helped position Waitrose as approachable experts. We also extended the existing colour palette, using the colours of the drinks and seasonal shades as inspiration. Light, fresh imagery added a modern twist.
We really lived and breathed the Waitrose culture throughout this event and feel proud to have created a drinks festival that truly represents both Waitrose and their diverse suppliers, and gives customers an excellent experience.
Sarah Kay
Managing Director, Story Events
We partnered with Story Events on everything from concepts to advertising. Nalla also designed a comprehensive show guide to help over 1,500 visitors find their way around the five floors of activity. Social media response has been overwhelmingly positive, asking for a repeat performance next year.
It came from the viewpoint of creating a unique and specialist experience, seeing it come to life on-site has made us very proud, it has been a fantastic success.
Anne Jones
Category Manager for Beer, Wine and Spirits, Waitrose
