Napo — How to make rebranding pizza

A large pizza chain with a similar corporate style and a registered trademark entered the market in the city. They came to our clients with two options: either to get entangled into endless legal battles, trying to prove who was there first, or swiftly change their whole branding, preserving their investments and energy. Naturally, they chose the second path. To transform from the small "Just Pizza" into "Napo" and avoid being drowned in the sea of cheesy competitors, they had one month and a concise to-do list:

Remembering our interactions a couple of years ago, they reached out to us this time as well, and we decided to go through with the project. Of course, not only did we have a strict deadline, but after getting all the facts, we also had quite a list of things to keep in mind:

• We had to work within the existing color palette since all of the locations had just gone through renovations.
• Additionally, to not scare off existing customers, we worked around pre-existing brand archetype.
• Not to forget the time limit of one month until the other pizzeria would start a lawsuit.

It was crucial to retain customers who had already grown accustomed to the taste of "Just Pizza" within the red and yellow walls of the pizzerias near their homes. Simultaneously, they aimed to attract new admirers of pizza pies by constructing an entirely new communication platform and visual presentation for their existing business.

We began our quest with a thorough analysis of our competitors. To ensure future scalability and expand our retail network across all regions, we were not limited to local competitors. We were researching pizzerias operating throughout Ukraine and even examined global brands. We compiled a list of potential names with available domain names. This was essential to secure business accounts with a recognizable name later on. In the world of pizzerias, there are numerous names. Our name had to evoke a sense of "pause; here, you can forget about hunger and hang out with your friends in a true Italian fashion."

We found limited existing words available, so we employed various techniques: portmanteau, wordplay in different languages, playing with  phrases, and creating neologisms. We even sang them in an Italian-style melody.

We created branding identities for each selected name to help the client better assess and choose a name. The design and communication techniques were tailored to emphasize the meaning and personality of each name.

The name "NAPO" resonated with our client. This new word was derived from the toponym of the Italian city of Naples, "Neapoli." In this way, the small "Just Pizza" found its roots in Naples, where ordinary dough disks transformed into familiar pizza pies. Additionally, the colors of the Naples' flag (yellow and red) matched the tones of our brand, symbolizing cheese and tomatoes on NAPO's pizza. "NAPO" — an original neologism — also addressed the task of successfully registering the trademark. It proved versatile enough to build the brand's communication platform across all offline and online channels.

"Pizza Place" complements the name and directly indicates the product. Its pronunciation resembles Italian origins, making it suitable for signage on buildings, bags, and packaging — conveying "the message that you'll find pizza here."

The name and slogan together create the product's image. Italian pizza is delicious and affordable. Hence, one is never enough – "Take as much as you can hold." This direct call to action conveys that you decide how much you need.

The highlights in the tomato-cheese novella of NAPO revolved around our signature techniques. In the logo, we elongated the "o," resembling a pizza chef stretching the dough, and just as grated cheese and tomato slices fall onto it, the letters cascade on the storefront. The unique feature of the elongated "o" cleverly accommodates different messages, such as the descriptor "Pizza Place," the slogan "Take as much as you can hold," pizza names, or messages for friends. We compiled all the essential templates for a quick start. We prepared a comprehensive guideline to ensure any designer could adhere to the brand's style, maintaining consistency and uniformity across all brand platforms.