Union Square Hospitality Group by The O Group

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CLIENT

The company founded by world-renowned restauranteur, Danny Meyer. It includes some of New York City’s most acclaimed restaurants serving up a variety of cuisines.

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BRIEF

Create the identity for Blue Smoke Bake Shop, focused on deserts and baked treats, an offshoot of the popular Blue Smoke barbecue restaurant. The challenge was to incorporate the original Blue Smoke logo, without corrupting the already established and successful identity.

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APPROACH

We wanted to stay true to the aesthetic of the Blue Smoke brand, while incorporating a bit of whimsy that felt appropriate for a bakery. By adding a simplified line drawing above the logo, we were able to repurpose the original logo’s neon-inspired shape into the shape of a pie tin. Simple and fun — and looks great on a box filled with fresh cupcakes.

We looked to The O Group to create an identity for the Blue Smoke Bake Shop that would build on the current restaurant’s branding, while feeling like an entity that could stand on its own. They came back with a solution that retained the Blue Smoke logo while adding fun and elegance that were a great match for our offering. Since its launch, the logo has worked out well for us to use across various applications and touchpoints in the bake shop. — Mark Maynard-Parisi, managing partner of Blue Smoke