Darden Restaurants - Olive Garden
The CompanyDarden Restaurants, Inc. is the world’s largest corporate-owned and operated restaurant company with almost $6.7 billion in annual sales. Darden, through subsidiaries, employs approximately 180,000 employees; the company also owns and operates more than 1,700 restaurants including Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.
The Task
Darden Restaurants, owner of the Olive Garden Italian Restaurant chain, approached Addison Whitney with the challenge of updating its corporate image. The Olive Garden desired a warmer, more welcoming feel to complement its popular "Hospitaliano" restaurant concept.
The Addison Whitney Solution
Visual Branding
The Olive Garden required a visual brand that was reflective of the new positioning of an authentic, rustic, family-oriented restaurant. Consumer research revealed that the current Olive Garden corporate identity projected an outdated feel. To overcome this challenge, Addison Whitney leveraged the equity of the Olive Garden name and created a more sophisticated script lettering in a modern font. Research also allowed for the development and implementation of a corporate standards program.
Research & Analysis
The creation of an icon to complement the new Olive Garden look involved Olive Garden employee and customer research. Several icons were tested; however, the warm feel and vibrant colors of the grapes were a consistent favorite. The distinctive grape icon was implemented on signage, menus, placemats, take-out items and promotional materials and serves as a memorable, stand-alone symbol for the restaurant chain.
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