Dialling up the past: Vodafone opens heritage-inspired café

Café Ferdinand embodies the life and influence of the trailblazer in both branding and interior design. International multi-disciplinary design duo Aerogram Studio created a space that features curated collections and furniture that hark back to the era when the inventor broke new ground.

The café, which was designed for the general public and not just for Vodafone customers, has none of the brand’s typical visual identity on show. Instead it features shelves displaying old mechanical phones, blackboards that illustrate technical instruments and manuscripts of mathematical equations.

Tables were designed to be reminiscent of classroom desks, and even feature shelves underneath that can be used to store menus and customers’ belongings.

All of these features result in an environment that offers a fulfilling customer experience. Vodafone has used the café as a medium to support a highly curated and holistic brand experience.

For more on how brands need to branch out and offer retail experiences that are about more than selling products, read our market report on Convergence Retail.