REBRAND
BYENS BAGEL
Honoring Roots and Embracing Innovation
My Approach to Revitalizing Byens Bagel’s Identity
INTRODUCTION
I embarked on this journey with Byens Bagel not just as a designer, but as someone who has had the privilege of working behind the counter, witnessing firsthand the warmth and dedication that make this place so special. More than just a bagel shop, Byens Bagel is a welcoming haven in Aarhus—where every freshly handcrafted bagel, and every shared conversation contribute to a sense of community.
Founded by Mikael and Mie, a Danish couple who converted to Islam, the shop was built on the values of inclusivity, quality, and authenticity. With halal-certified meats and an emphasis on fresh ingredients, Byens Bagel has become a go-to spot for those seeking not just a quick and delicious meal, but a place that embraces cultural diversity with open arms. Inspired by this, I set out to refine and elevate the brand’s identity, ensuring that its visual presence truly reflects the heart and soul behind every bagel served.
As the shop is located in Aarhus, a city known for its thriving student population, universities, and young families, Byens Bagel had a strong foundation to grow from. The challenge was to refine its identity—making it more visually appealing, modern, and relevant while staying true to its roots.
With a student-friendly and fast-paced environment, the shop needed branding that felt bold, inviting, and instantly recognizable. Inspired by New York’s vintage bagel culture, I crafted a refreshed visual identity that merges old-school charm with a contemporary edge—a mix of nostalgia and modernity that resonates with the younger demographic while staying authentic to the brand’s story.
Before starting the visual redesign, I defined three strategic brand pillars based on the business offering, target audience, and market positioning. These pillars functioned as decision-making guidelines throughout the identity development process.
Community & Warmth
Customization & Playfulness
The ability to build a personalized bagel is one of the shop’s primary value propositions. This element of choice introduces a sense of ownership and creativity into the customer experience. The visual identity was therefore designed to mirror this flexibility through dynamic components such as illustration, adaptable layouts, and a character-based system. These elements communicate informality and encourage engagement, reinforcing the idea that the brand is interactive rather than transactional.
Subtle Cultural Inclusivity
Byens Bagel offers halal options and serves a culturally diverse audience. However, directly referencing religious or cultural symbolism risked narrowing the brand’s appeal or creating unintended associations. Instead, inclusivity was approached through neutrality and warmth in tone — ensuring that the identity feels open and accessible to different communities without explicitly signaling any specific group. This allows the brand to communicate acceptance while remaining commercially versatile within a broader Danish market.
A MASCOT
To differentiate Byens Bagel from competitors and create a more emotionally engaging brand presence, I introduced a vintage-style mascot as the centerpiece of the new identity. The intention behind the mascot was to capture the joyful and playful spirit of 1950s cartoon aesthetics — a time when food brands often used character-driven storytelling to create familiarity, warmth, and trust. Inspired by this era, the mascot brings a lighthearted and welcoming tone that reflects the shop’s friendly atmosphere and community-oriented values.
Rather than positioning the brand as purely minimalist or modern — which is common within Scandinavian food branding — the mascot introduces personality and charm. This allows Byens Bagel to stand out in a saturated local market while still feeling approachable and authentic. The character serves multiple strategic functions: The vintage influence also subtly communicates craftsmanship and tradition, aligning with the idea of freshly made, personalized food in a casual and welcoming environment. By combining nostalgic inspiration with a contemporary execution, the mascot becomes not just a decorative element, but a central part of the brand’s voice and identity system.
The visual identity was developed to increase brand visibility in both physical and digital environments. Given that Byens Bagel operates in a fast-paced, street-level retail setting, the use of bright, high-contrast colors was a deliberate decision aimed at improving recognition from a distance. In crowded urban environments such as Aarhus, food establishments compete not only through product quality but through immediate visual presence. A vibrant palette enhances environmental legibility, allowing the brand to stand out on signage, packaging, and social media platforms where users often make quick, visually driven decisions. The selected orange tone introduces warmth and appetite appeal, while the deep blue provides contrast and stability. Together, these colors create a system that feels energetic without appearing chaotic — maintaining clarity across different applications such as menu boards, posters, and promotional material.
Typography Strategy
Within marketing assets, such as in-store posters and social media content, the contrast between background color and typographic elements was used to establish clear hierarchy and guide attention toward key messages. Food imagery was layered in a dynamic way to maintain visual interest while ensuring that promotional text remains the primary focal point. This layout strategy allows the brand to communicate offers efficiently without overwhelming the viewer.
Supporting graphic elements were derived directly from the mascot. This approach ensures visual cohesion across applications and avoids introducing unrelated decorative assets. Patterns, icons, and layout accents extend the mascot’s personality throughout the broader system.
