Process Book for Parlour: Specialty Cocktail Bar

1. Danny Askins
Project 1
GRDS 400: Graphic Design Studio 2
Professor Mary Ann Casem
Winter 2018

2. CONTENTS
Creative Brief
Logo Development
Packaging Development
Website Development
Menu Development
Final Deliverables

3. ICE CREAM'S
MORE FUN
AFTER DARK
Many people grew up with a sweet tooth for ice cream. We all have our favorite
flavors, toppings and memories associated with this beloved desert. As adults,
many of those childhood qualities start to fade and we sometimes forget how to
have fun and indulge a little bit. Don’t you think its time we change that up a bit ?

4. SITUATIONAL
OVERVIEW
For this project, students were instructed to create a project of their own that
consisted of multiple components that worked together as a complete system. My
idea was to create a fictional cocktail lounge that specialized in alcoholic ice creams
and other deserts. I chose to use Chicago as its home city because of it rich culture
and diverse residence. I wanted to create a sophisticated space where adults can
once again indulge as they did as kids, in a more fun and upscale way.

5. ASSIGNMENT SHEET

6. PROPOSAL OUTLINE
For this project, I wanted to create a brand that would stand out from the crowd and offer a
new bar experience that would be able to elevate itself from the busy marketplace. Bars come
in all shapes and sizes and offer many different experiences from one to the other. I would like
to create a space in which people remember and come back for more.
I am looking to create a bar that specializes in alcoholic ice creams, sorbets, and snow cones
along with traditional cocktails. I would like the space to be sophisticated with a few quirks
here and there bringing feelings of comfort, community, and fun.
I would like to create a brand identity that is playful yet sophisticated as to not create a child-
like environment for alcoholic deserts. I want to provide a relaxed comfortable space for adults
to unwind and enjoy the sweet things in life.
PROJECT RESEARCH
I will start my research by first looking for spaces that I feel embody a sense of modern
sophistication and comfort with nice materials and polished interior design that reflect the
mood I am going for. I will research the competitor marketplace to see what is already being
done and how to improve upon that. I will also pay close attention to my target audience
which will have a great impact on how the brand is developed. I will also research interesting
ways in which to create a well-rounded experience for the visitor.
PROJECT GOALS
My goal is to create a new bar experience that differentiates itself from the crowded
marketplace with a strong brand identity and sense of place. I would like to improve my web
design skills as well as my skills in identity design.
DELIVERABLES
Logo
Website
Menu System
Products (glasses, cocktail tools, etc.)
ADs
SCHEDULE
Class 3 ¬– Complete research, Brand Overview, List of specific products, Ideas / sketches on
Identity system, collect images/products, develop menu items
Class 4 ¬– Work on identity system, Wire frames for website
Class 5 ¬– Finish Identity, Rough website layout, Work on Menu, Work on Ad development,
Product Development
Class 6 – Work on Menu, Website, Ads
Class 7 – Finished Menu, Finished Ads, Work on Website, Work on Products
Class 8 – Work on Website, Products, Tweaks on other deliverables
Class 9 – Materials Printed, Finish production on Products, Website
Class 10 – Project due
PROJECT BRIEF

7. GOALS &
OBJECTIVES
I want this brand to feel sophisticated yet approachable, high quality, and
comfortable. This cocktail bar is not a place where you drink beer and watch the
football game. It is a place where friends, couples and many generations of people
can come to relax, laugh, and create new memories with one another, all while
enjoying an incredible cocktail or desert.

8. WORD LIST
SOPHISTICATED
HIGH-END
QUALITY
EXCITING
CONTEMPORARY
APPROACHABLE
COMFORTABLE
MEMORABLE

9. MISSION STATEMENT
“At Parlour, our goal has always been to provide a modern and sophisticated space
for people to relive their childhood favorites. In 2014, life-long friends Amy Walker
and Jackson Hill brought together their passion for handcrafted cocktails and their
childhood love of ice cream. Together they opened Parlour, specializing in alcoholic
deserts as well as delicious cocktails. We welcome you to surround yourself with
good people and good desserts. Stay awhile, and welcome to Parlour.”

10. COMPETITOR RESEARCH
Chicago is a huge city filled with a plethora of options to choose from when deciding to enjoy a night out. If you
are in the mood for something sweet, George’s Ice Cream is a beloved favorite but does not offer any alcoholic
options and the space is busy, loud and often filled with many kids. Other options include the Boiler Room and
Scofflaw which are higher end cocktail bars but don’t have any specialty items that set them apart from the
competition. With Parlour, we hope to bridge the two.

11. COMPETITOR LOGOS

12. LOCATION
Carl Sandburg’s 1916 poem put it, “Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight
Handler to the Nation.” Chicago is the largest city in the Midwest and a central trade route to this day. For this
reasons it holds a vast array of people and cultures from around the world making it one of the most diverse
cities in the United States. We want our brand to complement the cities rich history in its sophistication but also
in the comfort and approachability it holds.

13. TARGET AUDIENCE
Everyone is welcome at Parlour ( as long as your at least 21 ) At Parlour we want to reflect Chicago’s diverse residence
and be apart of its rich community. We want to harbor a place where the young and old can come together to enjoy
a great cocktail or desert. We want people to find a second home at Parlour, one that is comfortable and relaxing yet
sophisticated. We encourage people to come in and get to know the person next to you.

15. MOOD BOARD
A mood board tells you about the aesthetics a brand holds. We love the contrast of dark warm colors, mixed with soft
pastels. This gives a fun yet sophisticated feel to the brand. Neon adds a nostalgic taste and a way to say “don’t take
us so seriously”. Pulling inspiration and textures from high end materials adds a classy feel and also alludes back to our
specialty in alcoholic ice creams.

16. TYPE STUDY
For the logo we chose to pull elements from neon signs to bring that nostalgic feeling of old ice cream parlours into the
feeling of the brand and give it a more humanistic touch. For the secondary type we chose to use a rounded sans-serif
typeface that complemented the curves of the logo well while providing a minimalistic, sophisticated feeling.

17. COLOR PALETTE
Our color palette comes from a combination of dark natural elements like fine marbles, slate, and concrete used in our
bar as well as pops of soft pink and peach pastels to bring some life and excitement into the space. Our main logo uses
a soft blush but changes on our packaging to match the different products we offer.

18. INTERIOR
The interior of Parlour is meant to evoke a sense of comfort and approachability. Its dark setting allows for a feeling of
relaxation complemented with high quality materials to bring forward a sophisticated sense. High quality furniture that
is comfortable and inviting is used throughout the space usually consisting of fine leathers and upholstery.

19. EXTERIOR
The exterior of Parlour is a dark wood store front that reflects old English style architecture. This dark store front
complements the soft pastel pink of the signage and allows for the warm glow of the interior space to illuminate out.
This creates a welcoming feeling to passersby to stop in and stay awhile.

20. DELIVERABLES
Brand Identity / Logo System ( B/W, Color, Large and Small Versions)
Product Packaging ( Three Ice Cream Containers and Three Popsicle Packaging)
Website ( Homepage, Product Page, About, Digital Menu)
Menu System

21. LOGO DEVELOPMENT

22. LOGO SKETCHES
I started my ideation with thinking of different names for the brand. The first idea was “The Ice Box” but after more
thought I moved towards the idea of “The Parlour” which was again revised to be simply, “Parlour”. I tried various ways
of logo exploration with contemporary takes on what ice cream can look like and eventually ended up with a neon word
mark that I believe portrayed the brand well.

25. DIGITAL DRAFTS

26. LOGO DETAILSI decided to use a peachy, pink color that expressed the fun sensibility of the cocktail bar but in a slightly more
contemporary and serious way than a bubblegum pink would. I wanted the pink to be paired with a dark grey that
wasn’t 100% black, instead using a 90% black that had more warmth to it. I used the typeface Ropa Soft Pro Light as
the secondary typography under the wordmark and used throughout the brand.
C - 0
M - 34
Y - 17
K - 0
C - 0
M - 0
Y - 0
K - 90
R - 249
G - 187
B - 184
R - 65
G - 64
B - 66
HEX
#f8b7b7
HEX
#404041
ROPA SOFT PRO LIGHT
A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

27. LOGO SIZINGThe logo can be sized down to .5 in, any further and the secondary type will be hard to read
1.5 in
2 in
1 in
.75 in
.5 in

28. FINAL LOGOThe final logo is used predominantly in the pink and dark grey combination but can also be used easily in black and
white. The only exception to this is in the brands packaging where the logo takes on the color scheme of the package as
a whole. The color is determined by the flavor used.

29. PACKAGING
DEVELOPMENT

30. PACKAGING SKETCHESWhen sketching ideas for the packaging I wanted to play with various styles that fit the key aesthetic
behind the brand. I played with the idea of melting ice cream and old school labels to mix the idea of the old
fashioned ice cream parlour with a contemporary twist.

32. DIGITAL DRAFTS

33. BLACKBERRY
ROSÈ alcoholic
ice cream
ORANGE
SANGRIA alcoholic
ice cream
SPARKLING
LIMEADE alcoholic
ice cream

35. FINAL ICE CREAM
PACKAGINGAfter many attempts I finally came to the idea of using abstracted paint strokes to visualize the idea of ice cream in a
new way. I used a duo-tone effect that represented the flavor inside. I decided to keep the rest of the packaging black
to make the color pop off the packaging and draw the eye in. The packaging also has a very contemporary feel that
matches the brand identity well.

36. FINAL POPSICLE
PACKAGINGI applied the same approach I took with the Ice Cream and used it for the popsicle packaging. I used the flavor of
the pop as the connection to the color usage for each and made each slightly different with the paint stroke to
give each its own personality

37. MENU
DEVELOPMENT

38. MENU SKETCHESI played around with many different layouts for the menu while keeping in mind how the customer would interact with
it. I first started with a vertical layout but thought that was a little cheap feeling so I moved to two page folded layout. I
applied the same elements used in the packaging to keep within the brand identity.

40. DIGITAL DRAFTS

42. FINAL MENUMy final menu keeps within the brand aesthetic used in the packaging but toned down slightly. I wanted the menu to reflect
the elegant qualities I was going for so I used a light grey in the background with a touch of the pink to wrap it all together.

43. WEBSITE
DEVELOPMENT

44. WEBSITE SKETCHESAs with the other deliverables, the website needed to fit within the qualities of the brand. I played
with various layouts and color blocking elements to make it visually interesting while still minimal and
sophisticated especially when it came to the product pages.

46. DIGITAL DRAFTS

48. FINAL WEBSITEUsing a mix of both full bleed photography that captured the brand as a whole and flat color usage I was able to keep
the sophisticated feeling of the brand without it becoming too boring or visually uninteresting. For the product pages I
used dynamic product shots to push this feeling even further.

49. FULL SIZED ELEMENTS

50. 4 in 4 in 4 in
4in

51. 4 in 4 in 4 in
4.25in

52. WINTER 2018
101 W. Marshall St. Chicago, IL 60007 | 773.674.8864 | www.parlour.co

54. WELCOME MENU THE BAR PRODUCTS
welcome to
At Parlour, our goal has always been to provide
a modern and sophisticated space for people
to relive their childhood favorites. In 2014,
life-long friends Amy Walker and Jackson Hill
brought together their passion for handcrafted
cocktails and their childhood love of ice cream.
Together they opened Parlour, specializing in
alcoholic desserts as well as delicious cocktails.
We welcome you to surround yourself with
good people, good desserts and stay awhile.
Welcome to Parlour.

55. THANK YOU