The Challenge
Dessert Gallery was started in 1995 by Sara Brook in a small Houston bakery, serving homemade cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes and other indulgent treats, as well as sandwiches and lunch items. Once Houstonians caught on to the bakery's delicious desserts, relaxed environment and old-fashioned hospitality, Dessert Gallery needed to expand to keep up with demand, and its brand needed to expand with it. The bakery was referred to BrandExtract to define its brand, better position it in the marketplace and prepare it to go nationwide.
The BrandExtract Solution
When we began working with Dessert Gallery, they had an existing logo and a website, but they were doing their own marketing. Our first task was creating an identity that conveyed who Dessert Gallery is - handmade, custom, genuine, friendly and extravagant. Our concept, "Sweet Dreams," was built on the idea that the bakery allows its customers to get lost in a world of rich, decadent desserts. To visualize this, we created graphics that used the bakery's products and cooking utensils in fun, fantasy scenes, such as an amusement park made of cakes and cupcakes. This imagery was used on the website, in-store signage, menus, ads and direct mail pieces.
One major requirement that would help the company go nationwide was building a website that allowed for online ordering and shipping. The first step in accomplishing this was organizing and coordinating the bakery's products. We then designed the site to display Dessert Gallery's creations and show the bakery's capabilities. An off-the-shelf shopping cart was incorporated into the site, which was tied to the bakery's inventory and made it simple to keep up with order fulfillment. We also implemented SEO keywords and tactics to make the site findable nationally.
The Results
After the rebranding and launch of the new website, online sales increased 158% in the first year. Dessert Gallery began shipping nationwide and opened a location in Sugarland, Texas. Direct mail campaigns, events and e-mail promotions helped to further expose the brand and increase sales.
The rebranding also exposed the immense baking talent of Sara Brooks, which had been somewhat hidden behind the counter at the small Kirby location for years. In 2008, Sara was named by the Small Business Administration, Houston District, as a Women in Business Champion of the Year.
WebAward of Excellence
