Defining the problem:
Along with being known for their hand-rolled pastas and Italian small plates, CinCin also has an extensive wine list and was in the process of launching their very own house-wine. Our job was to build the concept of wine, not as a drink for the discerning, but as an easy beverage that effortlessly blends into every meal.
Project Year
2018
Client
CinCin
Project Type
Hospitality
Location
Mumbai
The Solution:
Our idea was to position CinCin as everybody’s go-to wine bar. We therefore decided to create a special wine menu titled, “More vino, per favore”, or “More wine, please”.
This menu was designed to meet 3 objectives:
1. To make wine more approachable.
2. To highlight CinCin’s wine collection.
3. To introduce the world to CinCin’s very own house wine, the CinCin Rosso.
To accomplish this, we personified 10 of CinCin’s most popular wines and the CinCin Rosso, based on flavour notes, aromas and the overall feeling the wine offered its drinker.
Our Process:
Our research showed us that India especially, is not a wine-drinking nation, and as we delved deeper into wine culture and etiquette, we realised that wine still remained desperately unapproachable. We needed to create something that was enjoyable, light-hearted and relatable — just like CinCin is.
The concept we arrived at was succinct, subtle and in line with the brand ethos — If you were a bottle of wine, which one would you be?
What we had to keep in mind:
Since CinCin is a portrayal of Italy that is more the Amalfi Coast on spring break than the Godfather, it was important for us to treat our designs and communication the same, making them fun, colourful and breezy. However, we had to ensure our menu offered guests some form of utility.
To solve this problem, we added in 2 significant elements:
1. A wine recommendation on each page
2. A bookmark that highlighted the prices of all the wines in the menu.
The Language:
We ensured our communication was as young and playful as CinCin is, using a mix of fun Italian words, double entendres, alliteration and repetition. Even the tagline for the CinCin Rosso — ‘Que Syrah Syrah’ (a play on the term, Que Sera Sera) included elements of repetition and the use of puns.
The language was then extended to define the personality traits of the characters we created, from the wine label and the menu to everything that went in-store, all to build the experience.
The bright colours and hand lettered typography, have also been used to replicate the joyful feeling of sipping on the Rosso.
The Reveal:
We launched the wine menu and the CinCin Rosso at CinCin’s 1st anniversary party, where guests got a chance to interact with the menu and enjoy the wines featured in it. The ‘Guidebook to Wine’ played a huge role in increasing CinCin’s wine sales, and is now an intrinsic part of the ordering process at the restaurant.
