Panera Shares Nicely

I hardly ever give examples of design that I like, so here goes.

Panera's holiday banners (seen in the Cleveland area) are a great example of design coherence without sacrificing visual interest.


The type treatments are completely consistent, but the placement keeps them from feeling as though they're in lockstep. The red backgrounds unify, while the varying illustrations kept me wanting to see the next one.

I especially like the fox and the cardinals. It's not easy to see in my photos (click to see them larger), but there are interesting textures of trees and other details in the red backgrounds.

Competent illustrations like these are an easy way for marketers to make their messages memorable and warm. I think we would all be happier (if only on an unconscious level) if there were more illustration and less photography around us every day.