During the pandemic when take-out was put on pause, shoppers raced to the grocery stores in hopes of getting a slice of their favorite foods. As a result, people were rediscovering the freezer aisle for the benefit of convenience alone, expecting very little in terms of meal quality. Unsatisfied with these low pizza standards, nationally acclaimed chef, Anthony Mangieri decided to heat things up in the freezer section by delivering the best frozen pizza the world has ever tasted with the creation of Genio Della Pizza.
We worked closely with Genio Della Pizza to develop a simple yet relentless brand identity that includes design and packaging to highlight the brand’s passion for craft and their quest for excellence. Together with Anthony, we created a strategy aimed at capturing not only the essence of Genio Della Pizza, but of Anthony’s spirit as well. Because these pizzas are made by a combination of traditional Italian methods with Anthony's American twist, the brand's bold visual identity balances Italian heritage with American modernity. The color palettes are inspired by the warm tones of the hand stretched, wood-fired naturally leavened dough and fine-Italian ingredients used, and are also influenced by Italian design, food and architecture.
We developed the Genio word mark to feel traditional yet modern, drawing inspiration from vintage Italian typography and shop signage and applying a contemporary twist. With this bold and confident logo as our anchor, we created a colorful yet edgy brand world that immediately telegraphs our brand purpose: Endlessly Pursuing Excellence. The system is dynamic and engaging, led with bold, intentional messaging and grounded with handwritten notes to add charm, character, a sense of humor, and the ethos of continuous improvement.
Genio Della Pizza is currently in freezers across the country and available for nationwide shipping.