Restaurant Location
The restaurants branding never drew my attention as a customer. I was unsure of what the style of the restaurant was and what food they would be selling. From the muted colors it didn’t seem like a place for a quick bite, and it felt like I may have to dress business casual at the least. But mostly, I couldn’t interpret the logo well enough from the street, and it was too complex for me to want to remember it.
On my first visit inside, the atmosphere was nothing like the outside. There were fun and vibrant paintings on the wall. Jazz was playing in the background and the serving style was similar to that of a chipotle or subway. I was pleasantly surprised, but also wondered why the vibrancy of inside the restaurant wasn’t represented on the outside.
Current Branding
The most troubling part about J. Gumbo’s as a company is that there is no consistent branding. I have discovered 8 variations of the main logo and there may be more.
There are also multiple versions of the menu. Each location can tailor their menu to what they serve, but the design and layout are never consistent.
The crawfish character, though cute, is not effective as the brands logo. The text is the same color as the crawfish and is being over shadowed by the figure. The colors are too muted and do not pose a feeling of a fun and family friendly environment.
Kalamazoo Logo
-
The Franchise Owners - To implement the branding
-
Corporate - To enforce the branding
-
Customers - To absorb the branding
Make the brand welcoming, lively, and family oriented.
Custom Typeface
I wasn't liking any of the typefaces I was attempting to use, so I created my own to use as a title face. Refinement was definitely needed, along with some added color.
Branding Identity
With the identity, I didn't want to stray too far from what customers already recognized as J. Gumbo's. But the identity was in great need of an update. I took the crawfish that people would've been familiar with, and made him easier to identify by simplifying him in form and in color.
Thesis Presentation
The video below is my final presentation of my Thesis. I go into detail about my process throughout this project.