SPIN! NEAPOLITAN PIZZA
Evolving a brand from
start-up to chain
BRAND STRATEGY • BRAND IDENTITY DESIGN • COLLATERAL • WEBSITE • ADVERTISING • PACKAGING • CAMPAIGNS
Starting in 2004, Willoughby helped launch the first SPIN! Pizza with co-founder Gail Lozoff. After helping Lozoff scale Bagel & Bagel to become Einstein Bros. Bagels in the early 90s we all had some experience in going big.
The SPIN! fast-casual concept mixes Neapolitan style pizza, biking and a not-so-serious personality. SPIN! also makes pretty darn excellent pie. The brand walks the line between a neighborhood pizza joint and a slightly upscale restaurant with a small wine list and seasonal sangrias. Comfortable, fun and delicious.
Our approach was to create a vivid color palette intermixed with images of Italian bike racing, posterized graphics and vintage photography. Language is fun, a little bit silly and plays fast and loose with Italian. From Ciao Down! to Eat, Bike, Enjoy (Si Mangia, Gi Gira, Si Piace!) we incorporate it into various touchpoints including website, the SPIN! Bike Club, in-store promotions, menu design, packaging and the rewards program.
BRANDED ENVIRONMENT
Working with HOK Architect Tracy Stearns we collaborated to develop the first prototype experience in 2005. From walls to tables we worked to incorporate the biking and Italian motif. We used a wheatpaste poster style to plaster key walls in the space. The architect incorporated small details like bike gears on lighting fixtures and a variety of textures that also were mirrored in layered illustrations and printing.
COMMUNICATIONS
From the beginning, Willoughby worked to inject a little Italian charm into the casual concept. A balance of Italian and English bounces between the biking and pizza references. From billboards to promoting the bike rides.
Willoughby also worked to design a responsive website experience. The website tells a visual story about the pizza concept– and delivers on information that visitors seek quickly: menu, nutritional information, and local events. Working with a development team, the site also allows for localization of content.
PACKAGING
When the concept began, a lot of packaging solutions were simple with stickers or stamps applied to bags and boxes. As the business thrived we were able to print custom to-go packaging and subbrands for Gelato and Wine.
The opportunity arose to launch SPIN! the bottle, SPIN! pizza’s very own private label wine. The SPIN! brand appears twice on the label. The “S” is shared to display the word “SPIN!” both right-side-up and upside down for when the wine is poured. For a little extra verve, the words “the bottle” appear in each exclamation mark and invite the patron to do just that. We cannot guarantee that it will land on the person of your choice.
RESULTS
Willoughby helped SPIN! scale its concept from one in Overland Park, KS to 17 locations nationally in Missouri, California, Texas and Nebraska. As the concept grew we adjusted solutions to minimize production expenses and maximize the experience. Using direct-to-material printing we reduced the cost of the main graphics wall by $60,000 per store. Throughout our collaboration, we were able to extend the brand experience to menu boards, online ordering, and support SPIN’s internal marketing department.
The brand continues to draw in families, cyclists and pizza enthusiasts!