Fresheaze Restaurant Branding
The Challenge
To create a fictional business' brand identity and guidelines through naming, logo design, typography, color palette, and branded elements.
Initial Direction
I wanted to create a 24-hour drive through restaurant that served healthy food. Currently, late night restaurants almost exclusively serve fried food with few fruit and vegetable options.
Ideation
I wanted to attract customers who want to eat healthy but might be put off by traditional "clean" eating messaging. I wanted to use bright, playful colors to create branding that was inviting rather than intimidating or shaming.
Initially I was attracted to a rainbow-like color palette and explored a wide variety of fonts. Naming the business took some time but I settled on a simple combination of the two core prongs of the business model. Fresh + Easy = Fresheaze !
Logo Research
Mood Board
Style Board
Logo Sketches
Digital Drafts
For this first round I settled on the font Chicken Pie. I liked using all lowercase letters to give the logo an easygoing feel. The carrot growing out of the h was a decent starting point, but upon review the logo did little to convey the 24hr concept. I went back to do more research and see how I could incorporate established late-night imagery into the design.
The Final Result
I drew inspiration from classic late night neon signs and drew a carrot in the style of a pointing arrow. I chose the font Neon Bugler and matched the design elements thickness and style. I also developed two pattern elements that also work as standalone neon signs: a banana styled like a moon and an avocado.
Reflection
While it's thrilling to try to build a concept no one else has, it's equally difficult when there's little else to look to for inspiration! I struggled with figuring out how to combine established imagery for both healthy food and late night restaurants when they seem so at odds with each other. Ultimately I am satisfied with the results! I plan to expand on this project by building menus, interior design, and a mobile ordering app.