The brief
In 2016, we were approached by Delphine Pesrin-Auder and Mickael Pesrin to help their brand new restaurant come to life. Octopus required a full brand design, starting with a logo identity before we deep-dived into wayfinding, menus, van designs, aprons, gift cards, takeaway bags, and more.

The process/strategy
The restaurant, with its sleek and modern aesthetic, appears far removed from the traditional style of partner restaurant, Petit Bistro. However, the name of the restaurant itself is a nod to Delphine and Mickael’s dual heritage.

The restaurant and consequent branding was inspired by Victor Hugo’s ‘The Toilers of the Sea’, a gripping tale set in Guernsey. Hugo wrote the entire story on the island after he was banished from his native home of France, dedicating the story to “the noble little nation of the sea”. “He found solace in the beauty of Guernsey despite his exile and fell in love with the landscape,” explains Mickael. The site overlooks Havelet Bay, a known favourite spot of the french author, who swam regularly in the bay.

“We feel proud of Hugo’s take on our island, particularly as French-born inhabitants of Guernsey. We were moved by his ability to align the two nations that we equally call home. We named Octopus after Hugo’s villain in the tale – an enormous octopus who fights the protagonist Gilliat; and the restaurant opening coincided with the 150th anniversary of the novel which is very close to our hearts.”

Hugo’s legacy is immersed in the design of the Octopus brand, restaurant and marketing materials. The design holds extracts from the ‘Toilers of the Sea’ novel, which Oi also applied to the vans and food wraps.

The results
Octopus is very highly regarded in the Guernsey community, and is usually completely booked out on weekdays and weekends. A first-class location for weddings, birthdays and events. Still today, we continue to work with Octopus, creating seasonal menus, and most recently, to create a brand new takeaway service. As well as helping to develop branded merchandise, and restaurant materials.