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Strategy   Brand

A tête-à-tête about bringing the heart of a brand to life

Vive le Rive Gauche!

Rive Gauche! A classic one right there.

Absolutely. It was founded in 1993 as a French-inspired patisserie. Their chocolate cake is amazing.

Let’s talk about the rebrand.

Let’s! What do you want to know?

Tell us how it started.

What did you discover?

A pun!

In 2022, Muginoho Global acquired the brand to add to its dessert and patisserie portfolio.

They asked us what improvements could be made to the brand to build greater top-of-mind awareness while keeping a very loyal fanbase happy. So we went into it.

With 10 or so stores, people knew the brand but did not make it their go-to. Location was not an issue. Quality was not an issue. So despite delicious products and high visibility, brand recall was poor.

But there were loyalists, and we set out to convert more and take a bigger slice of the market.

Yes, sometimes it can’t be helped.

Despite delicious products and
high visibility, brand recall was poor.

How did you go about it?

We identified the brand’s strengths, confirming many things we suspected. People loved the handmade, high-quality pastries and desserts. They respected the brand’s consistency and heritage.

 

But the brand needed to be pushed. To set it apart, a secret ingredient: a personality “that is fun, interesting, and connects with people, endearing and listens to needs and requests, creating products for more people to enjoy”.

 

We focused on this and worked to draw out what makes Rive Gauche, Rive Gauche.​​

So what makes Rive Gauche, Rive Gauche?

We conducted a brand immersion and discovery process to get to the heart of the brand.

We found that it reflected two distinct philosophies and influences—L’habit ne fait pas le moine, a French proverb about looking beyond the surface, and Shibui (渋い), a Japanese philosophy that embraces the artistry of subtlety and a “felt sense” of evolving perfection without extravagance.

We distilled the two into the brand core, the idea of “Crafting delight”: the best things in life are the simple things, done well with dedication and joy.

The brand needed to be pushed. To set it apart, a secret ingredient: a personality that is fun, interesting, and connects with people,

How did you bring this out?

On the operations side, Rive Gauche affirmed its menu of classic offerings while periodically introducing new creations that express its philosophy of simple joys done well.

 

For the visual and verbal identity, we created original illustrations of a whimsical world populated by carefree, colourful characters to embody the Rive Gauche spirit.

 

The writing was carefully considered to create a light and fancy-free mood, and crafted messages around ideas about giving joy on any occasion, at prices people feel good about.

What were the effects?

It was electric. Launched just in time for the brand’s 30th anniversary, the new look and sound enlivened major touchpoints online and offline. Huge, huge change.

Unveiled first at the Serangoon Nex store, the media hyped the bold new look. Pilot store sales outperformed expectations. Everyone loves a makeover! Especially when it brings out all the great qualities that were hidden but were always there.

Any final thoughts?

When you’re playing the long game, familiarity always benefits from some freshness. If it’s from the heart, it’ll work.

We spoke to Rive Gauche about what they thought of the project.

Working with Louken on the rebranding of Rive Gauche Patisserie Singapore was an exceptional experience. Their professionalism was evident from the start, yet they maintained a warmth that made the process feel like working with close family and friends.

Team Louken demonstrated a deep understanding of our brand’s essence and vision, offering insightful suggestions while respecting our ideas. Their creativity shone through in every brainstorming session, resulting in beautiful concepts that perfectly captured the spirit of Rive Gauche Patisserie. The collaborative atmosphere made the journey enjoyable and inspiring. Louken’s dedication to excellence ensured that every detail was meticulously addressed, culminating in a rebranding that truly elevated our patisserie’s image.

I thoroughly enjoyed every step of this transformative process with Louken and highly recommend their services to anyone seeking a partner that combines professionalism with a personal touch.

Sanae Inada
General Manager, Rive Gauche

Muginoho Global Pte Ltd

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