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Distinctive label lends personality to Wisconsin bistro's sauce

Digital, pressure-sensitive labels help establish Carmella’s as a private-label sauce.

Carmellas_Marinara
Carmellas_Marinara

An effective label design can give a brand personality on shelf—just ask Carmella’s Italian Bistro. When the family-owned restaurant in Appleton, WI, decided to market its popular, authentic Carmella’s House Marinara Sauce outside of the bistro, the owners concluded that the right label design was essential for conveying the personality of the restaurant, while also allowing Carmella’s sauce to stand out on shelf at four local retail outlet.

“At Carmella’s, we pride ourselves on freshness,” says Larry DeFranza, chef for Carmella’s. Our recipes are simple, yet all of our dishes are made so that the true flavors of the ingredients shine through. The House Marina Sauce uses eight all-natural, fresh ingredients to create a one-of-a-kind aroma and flavor. We wanted the label to convey these key elements.”

Carmella’s turned to Directions Inc. to design the label. The agency was tasked with leveraging the package to establish Carmella’s as a mid-to-premium brand, and began its work by conducting a category audit of higher-end sauces, ranging from $6 to $10 per bottle. In addition, the design team met with the bistro owners and dined at the restaurant to get a greater sense of where Carmella’s wanted its brand to be.

The team settled on a clear glass jar with a black lid, and the primary label featuring a single sprig of fresh basil leaves—large and lively—to communicate the fresh, all-natural ingredients inside the jar.

“The clear jar allows consumers to visually capture the freshness of the product, in conjunction with the simple elegance of the label design,” says Aaron Graff, art director at Directions. “By working together, the label design and package help drive the brand image and enhance shelf appeal.”

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