Bottling California sunshine into a brand and its product.
California Pizza Kitchen set out to modernise a much-loved brand. Working with YML, I helped lead the visual refresh — translating the bright, sun-soaked spirit of California into every screen and touchpoint.
- Role
- UX & Visual Design
- Client
- California Pizza Kitchen
- Partner
- YML
- Year
- 2020
Overview
A fresh coat of California
CPK is known for its inventive, California-style cooking. The brand wanted an identity to match: vibrant, warm, and unmistakably Golden State.
I worked on UX and visual design through a major rebrand spanning the website and mobile app.
The challenge
Modern, but still CPK
A refresh can't throw away the equity a brand has built. We needed something brighter and more contemporary that still felt like the CPK people already loved.
Approach
Sun, sand, and clarity
We built a cohesive visual language around bright, natural tones drawn from California's beaches and skies, so every surface felt lively and consistent.
Modern UX principles guided the website and app redesigns, keeping the experience as intuitive as it was good-looking.
Outcome
A brand that feels like the coast
The new identity captured California's energy and carried it consistently across every customer touchpoint.
The result was a more engaging, more cohesive experience — proof of how user-centred design can revitalise a familiar brand.
