an image of the Danger Brain skull logomark

Branding a Concept that's Ready to Grow

Gabriella Plants

As a vertically integrated purveyor of fine plants with a growing enthusiastic community, Gabriella Plants needed a living identity as organic and adaptable as its own plants.

Goals

Gabriella Plants has been a family business for three generations. They recently began significantly scaling operations and found that they needed a brand that could meet the needs of their expansion.

Shot of Gabriella Plants plant nursery
Photo of Gabriella Plants shipping department
Close-up of plants being prepared for shipping

Results

After the launch of their new brand and collateral, Gabriella Plants has all the tools they need to better foster community among their customers. They continue to grow rapidly while turning their customers into fans.

Photo of Gabriella Plants employee working

Getting Started

A brand project is more than a list of deliverables. It is important to get as deep an understanding of the company’s stakeholders as its customers. We started this project by interviewing stakeholders at Gabriella Plants to get a feel for their values and where they wanted to take their business. We also explored their physical space, from the plant nurseries to the shipping department. Besides helping us get a more intimate feel for the company’s operations, touring the facilities helps us find future opportunities for brand projection, from door signage locations to possible wall graphic or mural locations and more.

Building a Language

After these interviews, we usually begin research into the company and customer. At the outset, we develop an initial Brand Lexicon which will develop during the course of the project, expressing the feel of the company as well as planting the seeds of future branded terminology, slogans, and more.

A brand encompasses more than what you see. It is what you feel about a product, how you interact with it, and more. As we build a new brand, we use the initial Brand Lexicon to inform the creation of a brand language. Over time, everyone who interats with Gabriella Plants will begin utilizing certain phrases or even manners of speaking due to Gabriella Plants’ slogans, copywriting style, and tone.

Brand lexicon for Gabriella Plants

Understanding the Customer

During the research phase, we spent some time researching Gabriella Plants’ customers. We researched the way their brand is presently projected, their key competitors, their key customers, and put it all together into a confidential report which would become part of the Gabriella Plants Brand Book. We also began looking at style inspiration based on what Gabriella Plants’ customers would better respond to.

Finally, transitioning from research to design, we put together a mood board or style scape with several styles which would connect with Gabriella Plants’ customers while evoking their values and fitting the company and its culture.

Mood board for Gabriella Plants logo
Moodboard

A Robust, Organic Identity

Gabriella Plants is growing quickly. When they came to us, they were using a variety of print materials which needed more than their existing logo could offer. While we developed a primary logo, we focused on a brand aesthetic which would allow for a variety of evolving logos, symbols, and patterns. A complete brand family allows Gabriella Plants to adapt and grow their look as they themselves grow.

Gabriella Plants primary logo
Primary Logo
Gabriella Plants secondary logo
Alternate Logo
Gabriella Plants secondary logo, reversed
Reversed Logo
Alternate Gabriella Plants logo
Alternate Logo
Reversed alternate Gabriella Plants logo
Reversed Logo

Monograms

Gabriella Plants monogram
Monogram
Reversed Gabriella Plants monogram
Reversed Monogram
Patterned Gabriella Plants monogram
Patterned Monogram
Diamond-shaped Gabriella Plants monogram
Diamond monogram

Color Palette

Darkest
Dark
Medium
Light
Lightest

Fonts

Gabriella Plants Headline type, Regina Black
Headline type
Gabriella Plants Subhead type, Montserrat Bold
Subhead type
Gabriella Plants Section type, Montserrat Bold
Section type
Gabriella Plants Body type, Raleway Medium and Bold
Body type

Plant-based Patterns

We wanted to make the plants the centerpiece of the brand even when appearing in the background. To that end, we are creating different illustrations and patterns based on the plants which are trending with Gabriella Plants customers. This will keep elements fresh and adaptive, since they will change with the current trends, while remaining true to the brand’s aesthetic.

Example Plants inspiring patterns
Gabriella Plants iconGabriella Plants pattern
Icon + Pattern
Second Gabriella Plants iconSecond Gabriella Plants pattern
Icon + Pattern
Third Gabriella Plants iconThird Gabriella Plants pattern
Icon + Pattern

Growing Fast!

We continue to work with Gabriella Plants today, as they continue their rapid expansion. In the 12 months since we built the brand, Gabriella Plants has expanded to encompass a separate office headquarters facility, a second greenhouse location, and their first ever retail location, the Gabriella Plants Shop.

Map illustration for Gabriella Plants Shop
Map illustration used inside Gabriella Plants Shop retail location
Every Plant Has a Story logo slick
Gabriella Plants Shop logo slick
Growers Club logo slick
Assorted Logos
Gabriella Plants Shop truck
Retail truck
Shot of Gabriella Plants office
Shot of Gabriella Plants office
Shot of Gabriella Plants office
Interior of Gabriella Plants Office
Shot of Gabriella Plants Shop before opening day
Product bags at Gabriella Plants Shop
Merch wall at Gabriella Plants Shop
Shot of Gabriella Plants Shop interior
Interior of Gabriella Plants Shop

Merchandise

Plants aren’t the only part of plant-growing! Gabriella Plants has a constant need for new merchandise for its customers. These are just a few of the early merchandise items we developed.

Gabriella Plants merchandise
Gabriella Plants merchandise
Gabriella Plants merchandise
Gabriella Plants merchandise
Gabriella Plants merchandise
Gabriella Plants merchandise
Selected merchandise

Now it’s Your Turn

If you’re growing your business like Gabriella Plants, you may need the deep, holistic branding we provide. We can help you better connect with your customers even as you grow your sales or scale to a national brand.