Mood board - research photos

Click link for the photos I took around Bristol town centre.
picasa album

I felt it necessary to take these photos for 2 reasons:-

1. To define what is "Fine" as in a "fine dining" experience. By looking at the logos, fonts and colour schemes used.

Cafe Gusto - Is like coffee in a hurry. Only snacks available and is for people on the move. It is cheapenedd by the bad photos and spelling on the signage. None of this would impress Heidi or Jason.

The Living Room - Is a a fine dining experience. There is no hint of catering for children. There are mirrors, and art on the walls, a mixture of seating with an emphasis on relaxing, take in the atmosphere and we will take care of you.
But it doesn't look like somewhere you can get a fast lunch.




Pizza Express - has an interesting font for their signage and logos. But I feel that that they are one step higher than regular fast food outlets and do not convey the specialness that both the personas are looking for. Pizza Express does try to be authentic but this is on a big, national franchise scale and I feel that both the Personas will want to feel that Mario and Luigi's restaurant is something that they have discovered and not part of the mass market.

Bella Italia - uses a old fashioned serif font for it's logo. It uses allot of cliched material with it's flags, mini, and vespa scooters on it's website. http://www.bellaitalia.co.uk/index.php.
I reminds me of a stereotyped Italy from the 60's. The sort that would have been ridiculed by comedians.
Our personas, I feel would avoid it.

Reiss, Kurt Geiger, The White Company, Harvey Nichols, Azendi all have logos using type, very simple, tall, san serif to emphasis elegance and sophistication.
This will effect my font choice later.

Carluccio's - is clearly a man, with his navy blue signage. No fancy logos, just his name in a scripted font. Fine cafe culture, with an expectation that a man of considerable experience will know what he's doing when it come to food.
He could have alot in common in age and experience to our 2 retired plumbers.
A small deli attached to the café selling products that you can rush in a grab something freshly prepared in a hurry.
Pizza aside our Personas would enjoy a visit to Carluccio's but Jason may feel the prices are too much for his pocket.

Zizzi Ristorante - Looks young, happening and hip. Looks as though they are going for the young people, and young families. I do like the white vinyl of the italian foods listed on the bottom of the glass, which makes the restaurant semi private and draws your eye to read it.

Frankie & Benny's - large chain, american, brash, families, standardised food. Our personas would avoid.

Hotel Chocolate - understated signage, huge use of white space. Simple text based logo.
Says posh. We do posh chocolates, be in no doubt.


Philpotts - A sandwich, snack bar but with old fashioned look and feel. The emphesis is on freshness and prepared just for you. Reasonable prices and if it was just a sandwich they wanted then our personas would feel comfetable here. Although the outside of this branch is ugly and is a bad choice for them.

Starbucks - All about the coffee, what I gain from this is that italians like coffee, so Mario & Luigi should have the best italian brands, and machine for producing it.
I'm also intrigued by the goddess logo which seems to have a hidden meaning.


I have included some of my holiday photos that I feel are of interest.

Local Milan Pizza restaurant - My kids and me were made to feel involved the the cooking process, the atmosphere was welcoming. Smiles abounded and when we came in a second night made feel like long lost relatives.
Since Mario and Luigi are a single restaurant warm, friendly atmosphere, in a gregarious italian way is something that they should do. Short, hand written menus, with the emphesis on they are busy preparing delicous food rather than trying to look corporate.


Chateaux De La Messardiere - Service, food, decor it was just perfect and beyond expectations.
Mario and Luigi's attention to detail and exceeding customer expectations will keep them coming back for more.
They had to drag me out of Chateaux De La Messardiere.
http://www.messardiere.com/

Dolce & Gabbana - Included because the world looks to Milan fashion house for the very latest in design.
Again the need for looking you best goes right back and it's no wonder that there are the fashion labels in Italy. It's because they have been dressing smartly for a very long time.

Italian will work 3 jobs just so that they can afford to wear the latest fashions and afford the best
cars.

Pizza box - Work of art on the pizza box lid, assumes that the buyer has more going on in their head than one who buys from Dominos or Pizza hut.

Savini Bistro - The cakes in the window of Savini's show an exquisite attention to detail that show the Italian need for show. The passion for beautiful things and displaying it is nearly genetic and goes back to the Romans. This place looks unchanged since it opened in 1867.


Mario and Luigis have to stay away from brash logos of fast food outlets and assume that their customers are more intelligent and enjoy finer things.


Professionalism in a small, approachable way.
Personal care and attention - Like Philpotts
Warm welcome always - Local italian pizza restaurant in milan
Attention to detail, passionate about food - Carluccios, Savini




2. Location -

The Square is part of the new developement behind Temple Meads stations. There are a huge number of offices being build around that area and a potentially huge number of Jason's and Heidis.