Author Archives: Joanna

Lellas Cake Shop launches it’s first store

Lellas Cake Shop launches it’s first store

Lellas Cake Shop was launched in November 2017. Camilyon was approached to develop the brand identity to create a unique consumer offering that is iconic, stricking yet inviting. The brand Lellas was developed into an unconventional trademark with its unique tone of voice and style. This was developed after several brainstorming sessions between Camilyon and IDesign.com.mt, the designer who developed the brand logo design and elements. A mood board was then created for the client to choose the brand identity direction from which Lellas Cake Shop’s iconic style was born and developed.  Camilyon also managed the brand’s first outlet opening phase that entailed various project management tasks. This involved in-store planning and layout, lasing with carpenters, in-store branding concept, procurement of marketing and design related items, interior furnishings and decoration ideas and procurement, negotiating and managing suppliers, packaging concept and direction, business cards, product tags, branding of other merchandise and point of sale material, staff uniforms, social media strategy, social media content and management, artistic photography direction and overall marketing direction and consultancy. The designer chosen by Camilyon for this project was Justin Sammut of Idesign.com.mt

Visit www.lellas.com.mt for more information.

Valletta Cruise Port’s Corporate Christmas Gifts

Valletta Cruise Port’s Corporate Christmas Gifts

Camilyon, in collaboration with artist and designer Stephanie Borg, have developed the concept for Valletta Cruise Port’s Corporate Christmas Gifts for 2017. Valletta Cruise Port required an elegant yet striking gift for their esteemed clients that was linked with the iconic building of the Valletta Waterfront and hence their brand identity. A specific illustration was designed by Stephanie Borg specifically to reach this objective. The elegant espresso set was packed in a branded box and laminated paper bag. To develop and enhance this concept, the client required an invitation concept that will not only be unconventional but will be kept as a memento of their 15th anniversary. Therefore, the invitation concept was proposed in a dark blue pillow box with gold foil printing that contained the invitation card for the corporate christmas party and a set of 4 coasters matching the same illustration wrapped in a branded gold satin ribbon. A Christmas greeting card was also developed on the same illustration concept presented in matching dark blue envelopes. This concept was developed in collaboration with Stephanie Borg. All procurement was handled and managed by Camilyon.

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Tea for Two!

Tea for Two!

What is it about putting the kettle on and having that comforting and calming cup of tea? Ask these two creative cousins, Joanna Micallef Farrugia and Diana Mifsud, who have turned their lifelong love for the tea ritual into a unique brand, built on the idea that these brews simply make everything better. Together with artist Stephanie Borg, they have created not only the taste, but also the look and feel of Tettiera [inspired by the traditional Maltese word for teapot] – down to a T.

Where did the idea of Tettiera sprout from and how did it go from concept to teacup?

We have been lovers of tea since before we canremember, each with our own toy tea set when we
were little girls. This drove us to share our love of tea with others and revive the tea ritual. It all started a long time ago over endless cups of tea, with the usual question: ‘What If we had to open a tea business? What would we do? Why would we want to?’ We
started mapping out a scenario of what ifs… until it was too exciting to leave it in dreamland and we took a decision to bring it to life. Once we started the ball rolling on the product development process, our vision began to take shape. It has been a journey of
endless discussions, discoveries and sleepless nights!

Tea is a lifestyle. Is it yours too? What does this beverage mean to you? Why do you think putting the kettle on and sipping a cup of tea can be so consoling?

The tea ritual is part of our daily lifestyle. I treat myself to tea from the early morning to whenever I feel I need to revive and refresh my mind, body and soul. A cup of tea always makes you feel better, and even better if you brew it the proper way and serve it in pretty porcelain. They say a cup of tea makes everything better and the actual ritual of boiling the kettle and brewing the tea
leaves gives you a sense of comfort and calmness. In today’s hectic life, sometimes, we find pleasure in the simple things. The quote from The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo is perfect to explain this: ‘Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence. It inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity, the
romanticism of social order… Let us have a sip of tea…Let us dream of evanescence and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things.’

How strong do you think the tea-drinking ritual is in Malta, or are we more into coffee?

We Maltese have inherited the instant coffee and teadrinking culture from the UK and the bold coffee bar culture from Italy. We strongly feel there are as many tea lovers as there are of coffee, and surprisingly enough, there are many dual drinkers in Malta too.

How did you go about sourcing artisan loose-leaf teas and where do they come from?

Our ambition is to provide a high-quality cup of tea and we wanted to choose a supplier whose plantations are
managed by tea masters, who still follow the traditional methods for plantation and cultivation. This is why ours are artisan teas, coming from different and renowned plantations in China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, India, Africa and Egypt… and also Malta. During our tea masterclass at the UK Tea Academy in London last year , we had access to the best advice on suppliers and what to look out for.

Do you think people, even tea lovers, notice the difference between these and their more commercial counterparts?  Is the world heading in that direction in general; looking for good-quality, environment-friendly and traditionally grown products?

Lovers of life, and especially tea lovers, would surely notice the difference in quality between a cup of loose-leaf brewed tea and tea dust going back to basics is good for the soul and Mother Earth. When we were travelling in India and Sri Lanka, we saw our cup of tea in a new way as we witnessed the hard work of the natives, who wake up very early in the morning to pick up the leaves from the shrubs one by one! It is a lot of hard work, and you start to appreciate that cup of tea even more, especially when you experience the beauty of the plantations, the passion of the natives and the tea masters. We want to celebrate the traditions and rituals related to tea and appreciate this more.

What’s your own preferred brew?
[Joanna] My daily morning cup is the Earl grey Radiance, and when I feel like I need my moment ofpampering, there is nothing more comforting than a cup of oolong – Ali Shan.
[Diana] My daily morning cup is our Maltese blendTgħanniqa [sometimes with milk and sometimes with
honey, depending on the mood], and before I head to bed, it’s a must for me to sip on our delicate Fujian Pekoe green tea.

You’ve also created your own local tea. Talk us through the process. And do you have more plans for the creation of your own blends in the pipeline, or to encourage the growth of indigenous products that could be used to produce local teas?

We have created a unique Maltese blend with Maltese carob and Ceylon tea – a true morning cup of tea with the aromatic bittersweet flavours of the Maltese carob. The process is long and precise: We pick the carob pods ourselves from our old family carob trees; we clean and dry them one by one; we remove the carob seeds and cut the pods into small pieces and then we roast them; we then blend the carob pieces with the Ceylon tea leaves and both absorb each other’s aroma. Our plan is to revive Maltese-grown flowers and herbs and to infuse these with traditional teas from the Orient. This is not an easy journey, but we hope to find the right collaborators to help us harvest these herbs and flowers in Maltese soil again.

Packaging has also played a part in Tettiera. You collaborated on the design with artist Stephanie Borg, best known for her Maltese tile-inspired work and ink drawings of traditional doors. How important is the ‘cover’ at the end of the day, and what was the look and feel you wanted to achieve?

We wanted to capture the emotions that a cup of Tettiera tea will make you feel, and feelings can also be understood with colour.
Tea revives you in an elegant and calming way and we wanted the artist to capture the calming colours of tea through her pattern.

Why did you choose Stephanie and how did she ‘adapt’ her art to reflect the mood of Tettiera, which could be described as fresh and feminine?

Stephanie is one of Malta’s treasures! Our collaboration is a special one. She immediately understood what we wanted to create and she also liked the idea of the natural and earthy kraft paper tube that we wanted to develop. After some discussion about the look and feel, she delighted us with the packaging artwork that included our logo design. When we saw the brand identity and the proposed colours and patterns for the first time, we fell even more in love with our brand. We sent the artwork to our packaging supplier and waited impatiently for the postman to deliver our packaging mock-up.

The packaging is also versatile and you have put emphasis on its other uses. Does this stem from an underlying eco-friendly approach to the whole project; is it a means to further highlight the importance of its design; or do you simply want it to offer a dual role for added value?

Being environment-friendly is part of our brand philosophy. We also want to generate awareness about the reduce, reuse, recycle trend that is paramount for the sustainability of Mother Earth’s natural resources. So apart from being one of our fundamental pillars, we also wanted to prolong the lifespan of the Tettiera tube by encouraging its potentially different uses. To say that the
packaging is as vital as the actual tea leaves might not be an overstatement. Everyone is attracted to pretty, little things and we wanted to create a whole experience for the end user. When creating Tettiera and our packaging design, it was always important that we develop something that limits the environmental impact after the tea is consumed. Being lovers of our surroundings and
nature in general, we wanted to create something easily recyclable. Enter kraft paper – a natural, unbleached, totally biodegradable material made from virgin fibres of maritime pine. This miracle material decomposes naturally within a few weeks
just like leaves under a tree. We’ve all heard of the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra. Recycling might not solve our world problems, but taking materials and giving them a second life should be nothing but our sacred duty. Although kraft paper is totally
biodegradable, this is not an excuse to just dispose of it. We are firm believers that, whenever possible, packaging should be reused, or even up-cycled.

Coming from the world of marketing, what do you think Tettiera would have been without the design and packaging details?

Without its holistic brand concept and consumer proposition, Tettiera would not be what it is today. The brand identity foundations are of paramount importance to the creation of the product story and the value it offers to its consumers. You’ve also created pretty trial gift boxes, which, apart from 13 tea blends hand-packed in unbleached teabags, include a surprise book.

Tell us about the connection between tea and reading – especially in today’s fast-paced life – and how you are going about promoting this somewhat romantic image which may be far removed from reality.

We want to encourage tea lovers to find time and rediscover the tea ritual. Nothing beats a steamy cup of tea and a good book to allow the mind to switch off from your daily routine. This is such a simple gesture that is taken for granted. We need to relearn how to enjoy little moments of pleasure like this and find time for our enjoyment and peace.

Your campaign is also a completely in-house creation, from the photography to the styling. Again, what’s the feel and how important is it to effectively convey this ‘lifestyle’ message – the experience beyond the tea.

The idea is that the tea ritual can be created and enjoyed by anyone at any home, or office. So we are simply setting the example that everyone can create the effect and mood they want, even with the ceramics and accessories they already have. Sometimes, we
need to make that extra effort to make that cup of tea for our partners and friends that bit more special.

You’ve gone all out to create the picture-perfect tea party experience… and you even intend to organise Tettiera tea-tasting sessions in Stephanie’s vibrant art studio boutique in Rabat. How do you think these will go down?

We want to revive the afternoon tea party concept and help consumers rediscover the tea ritual… with hot scones, delicious biscuits, stylish macaroons, mouth-watering canapés and a few pots of brewed tea all served in proper crockery with a set-up that will make you wish the party would never end! This would be a haven for any tea devotee and for those who appreciate the finer things in life. Tea time is also about the accessories… Gimmicks, vital tools, or just more fun? The true ritual of tea involves
various accessories. Some are functional and necessary and others are decorative, fancy and just for personal enjoyment.

Tettiera products are being sold from a handful of outlets. How and why did you select these?

Tettiera is a unique brand of tea and we are working with premium retail partners, who believe in our brand philosophy and can help us write our story. The selection process was thorough and we are quite content that we have six retail partners. We do
have plans to expand and we even have further trade requests, but we prefer to visit the actual shop to make sure our brand fits into the mood and its shopper profile before we move forward.

And finally, could you pass on some tea-brewing tips in between sips…

Surprisingly, the ritual itself can be quite personal, and if you had to ask 10 people how they prepare their tea, you would surely get 10 different replies. Our most important rule is to never boil water twice. Make sure to use an infuser that is big enough to let
the tea leaves infuse properly. Respect the time indicated for brewing the leaves to maximise their aromas, and never over-brew them. Always drink your tea in your favourite mugs and cups!

Interview by Fiona Galea Debono Executive Editor of Places Design & Living Magazine – Allied Group Malta.

Tettiera & Stephanie Borg

Tettiera & Stephanie Borg

Tettiera™ has collaborated with the renowned Maltese artist and designer Stephanie Borg™ to design their packaging concept and brand identity. This was an exciting journey between the trio until each player brought their own individual idea to create the packaging concept. Stephanie Borg™ has created a unique inspired Maltese Tile Pattern for Tettiera™ with calming and relaxing pale colours that represent the world of tea. This Tettiera™ pattern is part of the brand identity and is the start of many more collaborations with the renowned artist. The Collection is available for sale at the Stephanie Borg™ studio & boutique where customers can touch the texture of the different tea leaves and spices, see the different colours and shapes and smell the incredible concoction of aromas from the different blends.

Custom design furniture manufacturer rebrands as Chillischilli

Custom design furniture manufacturer rebrands as Chillischilli

Chillischilli rebranding represents its successful and on-going transition to a company well beyond its custom design furniture heritage

In 2002, Alan deBattista’s fascination for novel design and high quality furniture led him to launch what would eventually become Chillischilli, a custom design furniture manufacturer. The company proved to be a success story with both residential and corporate clients, and soon outgrew its 180m2 workshop manufacturing capacity. As a way of looking forward, Chillischilli is re-launching its brand all together with the opening of a new manufacturing process plant measuring 800m2.

This was announced by Alan deBattista, Founder and Director of Chillischilli Ltd, during a press launch held at Charles Grech World of Wines in Ta’ Xbiex.

Mr deBattista said: “The transition of our manufacturing process is a natural step for the company to be able to strengthen its manufacturing assets and significantly increase its production capacity. Concurrently, we are thrilled to be evolving our brand identity in order to better showcase our natural flair for bespoke furniture, cabinetry and interior works.”

“While staying rooted in our heritage, we are offering our customers a fresh approach to casual luxury with furniture pieces. We want to focus on delighting our clients by exceeding expectations and bringing their bespoke design to life,” continued Mr deBattista, “We understand that today’s clients are exposed to design on so many levels, giving them an increasingly keen eye for style, quality, luxury and comfort. We are confident that thanks to this investment we can successfully cater for this market evolution.”

When asked about the inspiration of the name, Mr deBattista explained: “The name Chillischilli is in actual fact a catchphrase I used to use when referring to my dog Chilli, who was to me and everyone who knew him more than just a dog. It is not the first time that I was told that Chilli was unlike other dogs to which I would simply reply ‘Chilli’s Chilli’. I felt it quite fitting to name the company after this very expression and the reinvention of our brand is a tribute to those characteristics that made Chilli so unique and outstanding. Our commitment to innovating original solutions that truly capture client’s requirements remain our hallmark.”

The event was also attended by Hon Dr José Herrera, Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness and Economic Growth, who said: “It is a pleasure to be present and inaugurate this initiative. The government remains committed to support and encourage investments such as these as they help increase the value of Malta. I augur Mr deBattista and his company Chillischilli the best of luck and success in their future endeavours.”

 

In conjunction with the launch of its new logo and premises, Chillischilli is introducing the new tagline “Bespoke Furniture & Interiors” representing the Company’s elevation beyond furniture manufacturing, to a high quality personalised furniture and interior works solution.

For further information, one can visit Chillischilli website: www.chillischilli.com or Facebook page. Alternatively one can email on info@chillischilli.com or call on 2137 8787.

 

About Chillischilli

Established in 2002, Chillischilli are creators of unique, bespoke furniture, cabinetry, specialist joinery and other interior works for residential and commercial clients both in Malta and abroad. Through its team of skilled craftsmen, the company prides itself in combining traditional skills and expertise in furniture making with innovative contemporary techniques to create bespoke designs. Chillischilli’s excellent reputation stems from giving the clients individual attention from the initial proposal stage all the way to the actual manufacturing process and aftersales service. Over the years, the company has evolved to be able to handle projects of any size whilst remaining true to its adage in giving undivided attention to every detail.

The importance of creating a Collective Strategic Road Map

The importance of creating a Collective Strategic Road Map

We are all following a tight schedule with reminders popping up every few minutes to keep us on top of our task list. It is becoming a challenge to stop and reflect on where we are heading. This is because we are trapped in the daily management and execution of our business operations and all the issues that arise.

It’s time to stop and reflect on your route so far, the navigation tools you have been adopting and the resources you have spent to reach thus far.  Are you still on the right track? Are you finding more pot holes and more obstacles in your way?  How do these indicators compare in relation to the targets you have committed to?

It is time to Think, Map and Drive your vision forward.

Managing any business is indeed a challenge. You are continuously focused on the concept and product idea you have created. You are the subject matter expert and you thrive to perfect it and sell it.  However, opportunities are not being exploited because you are focused on the day to day operations and managing the marketing mix single handedly. You need to adopt a Chameleon eye approach on your environment.

How close are you to your customers? How well do you monitor your competition? What are you learning from both? Market data and its analytical insight are key tools to help you map facts and drive actions to continuously improve the value chain of your product offering.

Orchestrating the value chain is not an easy task and this is why a collective strategic road map will keep you and your team aligned and on track. This map is a live tool that should be owned and changed according to the market evolution, customer trends and needs of your organisation. It should be seen as the mantra in the office. The strategic road map tool is a visual representation that will facilitate the communication of the vision and plans to all stakeholders.

One should start by organising a brainstorming session with the team. Choose an environment that is relaxing and different from your daily routine – go off site in fresh air. The more your team is relaxed, the more productive the session will be. Challenge yourself and your team to instigate ideas on your brand and other marketing mix pillars. No idea is a bad idea. Idea Generation is always kicked off with small ideas that are then morphed into big ones. Through such efforts, the team will feel empowered and part of the plan.

The recipe is quite straight forward:

  • Shortlist the ideas during the discussions and map the priorities in a pipeline
  • Logically start off by creating your strategic vision for the next 3 years
  • Ask yourself, where are you now and where do you want to be?
  • Group the ideas into 4 major pillars according to your priorities.

Design your road map – make it colourful and impactful.  Clearly derive task lists and responsibilities with timelines for you and the team. Structure is everything. Double check that all team mates are on board before you hit the road again. Organise monthly alignment meetings.

By making this part of your culture, you would turn the collective strategic road map into a live tool to think, map and drive your business ambitions.

 

 

 

 

Brand Emotion

Brand Emotion

It is so easy for brands to just get lost in all the communication rumble that customers are faced with in every moment of the day. There are so many messages projected at every touch point that if the brand and message are not striking, customers would automatically block it and life goes on. So how can your brand survive, build the right perception and attract attention enough to stand out in the crowd? Why do customers choose a brand over another? It all goes down to one of the most important elements in a human’s life: Emotion. We live through our senses and what appeals to us. In this digital era and thanks to social media platforms, it is much easier for brands to emotionally link their value proposition with customer to engage and increase their awareness. This is triggered thanks to the emotional content that is linked with the brand identity, characteristics and values. Depending on the brand and product offering, this can be directly linked with the touch element: events or the physical evidence. This is a key bridge between the virtual world and the reality where we can connect with customers to engage emotionally. Emotional behavior is heavily linked with the Purchase Decision Funnel where at each phase a potential shopper is influenced to take an emotional decision triggered by the information provided: Awareness, Interest, Evaluation, Trial, Adoption, Loyalty.

Emotion is sometimes taken for granted but it should be the soul of any communication message at every stage of the customer decision journey.

Doors of Malta Collection

Doors of Malta Collection

Local artist Stephanie Borg has a collection of works inspired by the traditional doors of Malta which she meticulously draws in great detail using a brush and ink. The range of products includes Prints in various sizes that can also be offered framed; Mugs and Espresso Cups; Mouse Pads as well as Wrapping Paper. For those who wish to replicate their front door as a drawing, the artist accepts commission work. www.stephanieborg.com

Inspire Christmas Gifts Collection

Inspire Christmas Gifts Collection

CHRISTMAS IS KNOCKIN’ AND WE HAVE GREAT NEWS….
We would like to save you the headache of choosing the right Christmas gifts for your clients, staff, and business partners, whilst at the same time contribute towards a good cause.

In this catalogue you will find the Corporate Christmas Gift Packages that you can give this Christmas to your clients and stakeholders.
Each Gift Pack is made up of premium and elegant items specifically chosen to match the different tastes and styles of your
stakeholders. All gift packs will be individually packed, customised to your order in an elegant Kraft paper bag with a red ribbon. Each bag will also be stickered with your company logo on the front side.

www.inspire.org.mt