Yesterday I made this cake for Easter. Normally my cakes turn out lopsided, with crumbs spattered throughout the frosting. But yesterday Miette owner Meg Ray helped me with her frosting instructions and my cake turned out so beautifully I had to take a picture. Thanks Meg!
Of course, I don’t know Meg Ray personally. But I have to say when it comes to marketing her product, she’s one smart cookie. This is important because no matter how tasty and beautiful her pastries are (they make my cake look frumpish), if she doesn’t get the word out, no one will know they’re there.
Let’s do a bit of analyzing how she’s branded herself, her pastry delights, her shop Miette, and even her book. To start, you need to watch her totally awesome video clip. Then check out her logo, website and photography, all equally well done and viewable here. And lastly, look at this fun press release promoting her book.
The ingredients in Meg’s branding are as cohesive as those in her pastries. I’m going to list a few.
- Miette. The name is French, meaning “crumb,” and according to Meg, “aptly describes the scale of our petite pastries and minimal decoration.”
- Video Music. Is delicate, fun, and, oh, so sweet.
- Logo, Typeface and Colors: Are petite and simple to match the pastries and their natural ingredients.
- Shop Design and Decor: Is magical and brings out the child in all of us, which, of course, relates to Meg’s story of her childhood visit to a pastry shop. Oh, we do love a good story, don’t we?
My list is of only a few obvious elements in Miette’s branding. There are many more—some obvious, some subtle, but all so very important in creating a successful brand.
What can you add to the list?
I would add Meg Ray herself to the list!
There’s something really compelling, I think, about putting yourself and your story out there as part of your marketing strategy.
Also, now I”m hungry.
Even the smallest elements of design convey a message. Sometimes it’s a subliminal and we don’t even realize we’ve formed an idea. Like the way Meg daintily catches crumbs falling from her mouth. Or when she turns her fork outward to the camera as she cuts a bite of cake – oh, so demure. Even dicing strawberries into little squares instead of throwing them in as chunks defines the panache of her product. The video is superb.
And yes, Ann, I’m hungry too!