Mr. Duffy’s Sweet Shop

Project overview

Mr. Duffy’s Traditional Sweet Shop is, as its name suggests, a traditional Irish sweet shop, where all four walls are covered from ceiling to floor with shelves and rows of old fashioned sweets in jars and boxes of all shapes and sizes. Previously part of a British franchise called Mr. Simms, a group of   nine shop owners in Ireland decided to establish their own group and launch their own brand.

The name “Mr. Duffy’s” was chosen because it’s warm, friendly, and most importantly, Irish. The initial brainstorm gave us a good sense of how it should look and feel. We were therefore able to design and agree the new logo within a matter of days.

The name they chose for the new entity was Mr. Duffy’s and they asked if we would help them with their branding and marketing efforts. We didn’t need to be asked twice and even offered to barter our services for sweets!

First things first, they needed a new logo. We took our inspiration from one of the shop owners who had a very friendly and avuncular face. We thought it would look great as part of the logo design. It had character and personality, both essential ingredients for a strong brand. Likewise, we chose a font style and colour palette that was fresh and vibrant.

In terms of the brand story, we wanted to create a world that was magical and fun. We wanted to capture in words their experiences and aspirations. We wanted to give them a narrative they could believe and work towards. As follows is a sample of what we wrote. As you can see, it’s written in the first person, supposedly from Mr. Duffy himself:

‘Stepping in to one of my shops is like stepping back in time, a time when things were simpler and everything was possible, a time of joy and innocence, of magic and adventure.

 It’s that sense of childhood wonder that’s awoken by the countless jars of sweets and chocolates. It’s like taking a trip down memory lane, where all around you is a veritable feast of sugary delights from yester year.

 I intentionally created an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of edible dreams, a treasure trove of sumptuous treats, a sun shower of rainbow colours, all designed to tickle your taste buds and dazzle your senses.

 My wife, Betty, works with me. She hopes one day soon to open an adjoining coffee and ice-cream shop. It’s she who deals with the suppliers and makes sure we’re fully stocked with all your favourite sweets and of course we can’t forget our special selection of sugar free sweets inspired by our son Daniel who is diabetic.

 Step in to one of my shops and I guarantee you will come out smiling and in good spirits. There is something magical about a sweet shop it is just brimming full of jars of happiness. Because we believe that everyone deserves a sweet treat to brighten their day.’

In the client's own words

When we came to you first, we had a vision but we needed someone to make it happen. You did that for us and created a brand that we could be really proud of. Thank you so much.

Thomas Eade - Mr. Duffy’s Traditional Sweet Shop

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