Cassette
Brand Strategy | Visual Identity | Sensory Branding | Content & Art Direction
Cassette is a slow-living sound lounge and nostalgic cocktail bar in Toronto, rooted in analog sound, vintage interiors, and warm conversation. Inspired by 60s–80s listening culture, it offers a sensory escape where time slows, music crackles, and memories resurface.
Challenge
Cassette needed to stand out in a modern, fast-paced hospitality market while embodying a completely different pace — slow, intentional, and immersive. The brand had to:
Capture the warmth and texture of analog culture in both print and digital formats.
Balance vintage nostalgia with contemporary elegance.
Create a sensory experience that guests could feel even before stepping inside.
Build a cohesive identity that works seamlessly across menus, social media, interiors, and events.
Logo Design
Solution
I built the brand around the core concept: “Mood Over Volume.”
From poetic menu descriptions to AI-guided art direction, every element was crafted to evoke a cinematic, analog world. The brand system integrated retro typography, warm color palettes, and tactile textures while maintaining modern refinement.
Process
1. Strategy & Concept
Defined brand positioning as a cinematic, sensory escape. Crafted a narrative voice rooted in poetic storytelling. Identified analog listening culture as the visual and emotional backbone.
2. Visual Identity
Designed logo variations inspired by cassette labels and vintage signage. Selected retro typography with a modern twist. Developed a warm, textured color palette reflecting candlelight, vinyl sleeves, and aged paper.
3. Sensory Storytelling
Used poetic copywriting for menus, drinks, and campaigns (e.g., “If sunshine had a flavor…”). Created a cocktail menu designed like a cassette tape insert. Incorporated tactile patterns and textures across all brand materials.
4. Content & Art Direction
Directed AI-generated imagery to capture the lounge’s cinematic tone. Styled compositions to feel like frames from an analog memory. Designed cohesive layouts for print, social media, and web.
5. Consistency Across Touchpoints
Ensured the brand lived seamlessly from in-person experiences to digital engagement. Delivered a full brand toolkit: logo system, menus, social media templates, and content library.
Content & Art Direction
Menu Design
Impact
A mood you can feel
From menus to social reels, every touchpoint immerses guests in Cassette’s slow-living, analog world.
Cinematic storytelling
Poetic copywriting, retro visuals, and sensory cues created a brand presence that feels like a film scene you never want to end.
A toolkit for timelessness
From logo systems and menu templates to AI-directed photography, Cassette now has a cohesive brand world that works across print, digital, and physical spaces.
Social Media
