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Érablement Bon
By : Studio AANAGRAM
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Communication & Branding : Grand Winner
Categories : Environmental Design / Brand Universe : Platinum Winner
Incorporating a modern touch into a Quebec classic
Despite the undeniable popularity of maple products in Quebec, the same traditional recipes and methods can be found on the market from one sugar bush to another with a few exceptions. This is what led a young entrepreneur, maple syrup producer Julien Dupasquier, to adopt an alternative position thanks to a creative culinary approach and the addition of out-of-season harvest allowing him to develop new aromatics.
Julien initially named his company La coulée Suisse because of his father\’s origins. A few years later, he called AANAGRAM to lead a strategic exercise aimed at repositioning the company. The main observation: the differentiator lies within unique and original recipes, while the Swiss heritage had no tangible impact on the menu and did not resonate favorably in a market with a strong cultural heritage. AANAGRAM therefore developed an integrated brand platform which included brand identity, visual identity, product packaging, promotional material as well as the store concept and counter space.
The challenge in formulating the new brand was to marry the nostalgia of the traditional codes of the sugar shack with the contemporary culture of gourmet desserts. The popular notion of “artisanal” local products suggests traditional methods of production and this is often reflected in brands projecting a folk spirit. Some components might refer to elements of the past, but the attitude is resolutely progressive.
While the new nominal identity demonstrates the esteem for the maple product, the bright red-orange, the typographic variations and the symbol evoke a new type of sugarbush wishing to gather a younger audience. The brand positioning “The wonderful world of maple” suggests a philosophy based on discovery, abundance and pleasure.
Available in two shops and a food counter, the concept mainly uses structures made of recycled cardboard tubes inspired by both the succession of tree trunks in a maple forest and the typology of the traditional log cabin. In keeping with the positioning, AANAGRAM’s intention for the layout of the counter space is to offer an immersive brand experience in a very limited space and in a food market context. Rather than establishing the counter at the periphery, it forms a recessed central element to allow customers to enter the space. The tubular metal display makes it possible to organize the products into categories ranging from the most classic recipe to the most inventive.
The corrugated sheet metal used at the top of the sign and on the custom-made removable display also refers to the modest materials historically used for the construction of this type of building. The custom-made pendant light fixtures made of aluminum maple cans, as well as the bright red-orange appliqués on the floor which take the form of puddles of “syrup” are inspired by banal elements, but build a universe specific to Érablement Bon. These characteristic elements infuse the brands universe, created by AANAGRAM, with a lively and playful spirit.
Collaboration
Interior Designer : Studio AANAGRAM
Manufacturer - Distributor : Archex
Manufacturer - Distributor : AMPM Luminaires
