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The Glass Knife

Services

  • Branding
  • Copywriting & Messaging
  • Environmental Design
  • Naming
  • Photography
  • Website Design
  • Website Development

The Problem

The Glass Knife began as nothing more than a backstory and a concept for a restaurant and bakery. There was nothing else - no kitchen, no actual dining space, no colors, designs nor brand. So, our creative team was tasked with creating the complete brand recipe - from messaging to art direction.

Our Approach

Every great brand has a story to share, and The Glass Knife met this requirement starting with the name itself. Harkening back to collectible glass knives from the Depression Era, the name literally represented a tradition of beauty, individuality, family and passion for the art of baking. Our approach was to harness the elements of this backstory and of the knives themselves, then translate that into a modern, elegant brand that fit the upscale offerings of The Glass Knife.

The Results

The Glass Knife celebrated its Grand Opening on Nov 2, 2017 with great success. The brand we created didn’t just exist on their website or in their marketing materials, rather Maven’s design carried over into every aspect of the restaurant - from flooring and lighting details to menus and signage. Additionally, the restaurant has received raved reviews as an all-encompassing culinary experience. And in February 2018, we were awarded American Advertising Federation ADDY Awards for our work together - including The Glass Knife Logo; The Glass Knife Website; and The Glass Knife Enamel Mug, Speciality Advertising.

Sleek, Sharp and Elegant

If Louis Vuitton was a baker, he’d sell his cakes in The Glass Knife. Well, not really. But the analogy imparts an idea of brand’s unabashed upscale nature. To frame this position properly, our designers incorporated the fine details actually engraved in the glass knives themselves - which the restaurant’s mother had collected generations ago and passed down through the family. Examining each one for delicate, refined elements, we honed in on rich pastels contrasted with black and gold as the color palette and drew inspiration for the geometric-nature of the ornate knife artistry to inform everything from the Website to the logo itself.

The Story Behind the Name

The Glass Knife isn’t just a bakery. The concept was driven by a true backstory, and we were careful to incorporate into the brand in a natural, interesting and meaningful way. So not only does the design reflect the actual glass knives but the brand messaging also reflects the welcoming nature of the founder’s mother - and her intense passion for perfection in the art of baking. Thus the brand voice intentionally speaks in a positive, genuine way that invites all to come, try something delicious, make new friends and stay as long as you like.

A Brand That Scales

Creating a brand for a very specific, high-end bakery and restaurant like The Glass Knife requires tremendous forethought and strategy. Because not only will the brand’s art direction have to work in expected media such as Websites and business cards, but it also must be able to scale across a variety of physical spaces. Elements of the brand must fit naturally onto signage and tabletops. And even be artistically sound enough to find their way into facets of the restaurant's actual decor. With The Glass Knife we accomplished all of this - as our designs have found themselves in all the above mentioned spaces - plus the side of a milk truck and embedded in terrazzo flooring.
All Work