I helped a butcher shop differentiate its products.
April 2023
“Make a sign for a butcher shop.”
-Bruno Munari
I first read Design as Art in 2021, a book written by Italian artist, designer and inventor Bruni Munari.
In the book, Munari tries to convince artists to spend more time designing useful things, and less time creating “useless, flat works of art”.
In a chapter of the book, he mentions what an artist can do to begin adding value as a designer, and one thing he mentions is to make a sign for a butcher shop.
But my first time reading Design as Art back in 2021, I missed the part about the butcher shop sign. Because it was only after making signs for a butcher shop, and later re-reading the book, did I read what he wrote about the butcher shop sign. I was shocked and had to read it again. Serendipity I’d say.
After helping the butcher shop, I now realize that Munari stopped short of mentioning what kind of sign a butcher shop would need. Since the book was written like a how-to guide for artists, it gives a new designer the freedom to solve problems in the way they see fit.
My idea for a butcher shop sign
Where I live in Tel Aviv, it’s not a standard business practice for butcher shops to have signs for meat types. When I go to a meat shop, it’s easy for me to know what’s chicken but impossible for me to know which red meat is which.
I decided to create signs that would differentiate red meat. These signs would a) make selecting a type of meat easier, and b) advertise the different meat options available so customers know the other types of meat available.
I designed two signs to differentiate Lamb from Sheep, and included 5 languages for the customers who shop in the area.
The languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Hebrew and Tigrinya
Pitching to five butcher shops
I made the two signs using a printer and laminator, and pitched to five meat shops near where I live.
When I entered a business, I would ask for the owner or manager and show them the signs. I would ask them if they saw value in the signs for their butcher shop.
I would also list the value the signs have; how the signs will make it easier for customers, easier for employees, and how they are easy to clean with soap and water.
The first 3 butcher shops said no. The 4th business asked how much the signs were, but said no because the price was too high. I asked what they want to pay for the signs, but they still declined.
Below are the signs at a business that didn’t see value in the signs but I was able to place for a photo:
The butcher shop that agreed
Out of the five butcher shops I pitched to, just one saw the value in the product signs I designed. The owner agreed right after I showed him the signs. He said it will make doing business easier for the customers, his employees and himself.
We went over the products he wanted signs for. Before I left, I confirmed the list with the owner and we agreed the day I’d return.
I designed the sign a bit different from the original design, increasing the font and changing the border color. See below:
Below are the signs after installation:
Service requested: Price signs
Once the product signs were completed, the owner asked if I was able to make price signs for kilograms of meat available.
Below is a sample price sign:
See below for the sign installed for testing at the business. I found clear plastic swivel clips to attach the signs to the display case.
What I learned
I learned a few things after installing signs for a butcher shop:
- Most of the meat shops that said “No” had a limited offering (around 3 red meats), while the meat shop that agreed to the signs has 6 types of red meat
- It’s easier for a business to agree to work with a marketer if the business knows someone who can vouch for the marketer
- For businesses who agree, it’s important to take the time to understand what the business wants and who the customers are
Buy Bruno Munari’s Design as Art on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Design-As-Art-Bruno-Munari/dp/0141035811
If you would like me to help you grow your local business, contact me.
Shomari Barber 