Sticks & Cones — Brand Creation for a New Ice Cream Shop in Marylebone, London
I led the full brand creation for Sticks & Cones, a new independent ice cream and lolly shop in the heart of Marylebone, London.
Founded with a vision to create a modern neighbourhood destination built around quality ingredients, craftsmanship and shared moments, the business required a complete brand from the ground up. Working closely with the founder, I developed the brand strategy, positioning, naming, visual identity, website and customer experience to create a hospitality brand that felt both playful and premium.
The challenge was to create a distinctive food and beverage brand that could stand out in London's competitive hospitality market while building genuine connections with local residents, families and visitors. Every aspect of the brand was designed to reflect the simple pleasure of enjoying exceptional ice cream, whether stopping by for a quick treat or spending time with friends and family.
From the name and visual identity to the website, packaging and in-store experience, the result is a welcoming neighbourhood brand with a clear point of difference and a strong foundation for growth. Today, Sticks & Cones is positioned as a modern Marylebone destination that brings people together through life's little pleasures. (www.sticksandcones.co.uk)
Brand Strategy & Positioning / Brand Naming / Visual Identity / Website Design / Brand Experience
Defining the Brand Strategy for a Modern Neighbourhood Destination
The project began with a strategic exploration of what Sticks & Cones should represent beyond simply selling ice cream. Working closely with the founder, we developed a clear brand positioning centred around quality ingredients, craftsmanship, community and life's little pleasures.
The ambition was to create more than an ice cream shop. It was about building a neighbourhood hospitality brand that felt welcoming, memorable and genuinely connected to the local community. This strategic foundation informed every aspect of the business, from the customer experience and messaging to the visual identity, website and in-store environment.
Naming a New Ice Cream Brand
A key part of the project was developing a name that felt distinctive, approachable and instantly relevant to the category.
Sticks & Cones was chosen for its simplicity, memorability and playful charm. It references the brand's two core product ranges while creating a name that feels timeless, family-friendly and easy to recognise. The result is a brand name that is both descriptive and full of personality, providing a strong foundation for future growth within London's competitive food and beverage market.
Creating a Distinctive Visual Identity
The visual identity was designed to balance playfulness with quality, helping Sticks & Cones appeal to families, local residents and design-conscious visitors alike.
A bright but carefully considered colour palette, custom illustrations and a flexible visual system were developed to create a recognisable brand world across every touchpoint. The identity was designed to feel fresh, welcoming and full of character while standing apart from more generic ice cream and dessert brands. Every element was created to support a memorable customer experience and reinforce the brand's positioning as a premium neighbourhood destination.
Bringing the Brand to Life In-Store
Beyond the visual identity, the project included the development of a complete in-store brand experience.
From menus and signage to wall graphics, storytelling and customer touchpoints, every detail was designed to reinforce the brand's commitment to quality ingredients, craftsmanship and community. Particular emphasis was placed on communicating the fact that products are made fresh on-site, helping customers understand the care, attention and expertise behind every scoop and lolly.
The result is a space that feels cohesive, engaging and unmistakably Sticks & Cones, creating an experience that encourages customers to return time and time again.
Website Design and Digital Launch
To support the launch of the business, I designed and built a fully responsive website that introduces the brand, communicates its values and helps drive local discovery.
The website combines storytelling, product information and practical visitor details within a simple and intuitive user experience. Alongside the website, I also supported the social media launch, helping establish a consistent visual and verbal identity across digital channels ahead of opening.
Building a Brand Around Life's Little Pleasures
Today, Sticks & Cones has established itself as a distinctive addition to the Marylebone hospitality scene. What began as an idea has evolved into a fully realised brand with a clear positioning, memorable identity and carefully crafted customer experience.
The project reflects my approach to hospitality branding, combining brand strategy, naming, visual identity and customer experience design to create brands that not only look distinctive but build meaningful connections with the people they serve.
Helping bring Sticks & Cones to life from initial concept through to launch has been a particularly rewarding journey and one of the most comprehensive hospitality branding projects I have led to date.
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