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Guide: How to Create a Brand

A brand is the communication of a restaurant’s personality through various elements, from logos and interior design to menus, a website, and staff uniforms. Every restaurant has a brand, but those that thrive make an essential commitment to controlling and fostering theirs. Here, we’ll explore seven strategies for taking ownership of the development and execution of a new restaurant’s brand.

1. Create a LanguageWhen you hear yourself describing your restaurant to other people, what words or phrases keep coming up? The process of building a brand is all about distilling the various elements down to the core of who you are and what you’re going to deliver.

John Ross, owner of B. Hospitality in Chicago, goes through this editing process as a first step to brand development

for his restaurants, which include The Bristol, Balena, Formento’s, Nonna’s, Swift & Sons, and Cold Storage. The B. Hospitality team asks, “What are five words or phrases that define what this restaurant means to us?” From there, they begin to find common ground and build a framework to enable on-brand decision making.

John says, “Doing this exercise early on really helps bring clarity to the brand and keep it focused when we make everything from big conceptual decisions to the smallest details.”

If you’re having trouble articulating the words or phrases that could serve as the foundation for your brand, this Brand Deck is a helpful tool to kick-start the process.

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2. Look for Inspiration EverywhereFind inspiration when traveling to other cities and visiting new restaurants and shops, and take note of design elements you love. This process is not about trying to mimic someone else; it’s about bringing together a thousand little details collected from many different places to express a brand that is uniquely yours.

Charles Billies went through a similar process in creating the Souvla brand: “I’ve spent so many years in other people’s restaurants being a part of a brand and figuring out what I liked and what I didn’t like. All throughout my career and my travels, I’ve kept samples and detailed notes so I had a lot of inspiration to choose from when it came time to build the foundation for Souvla.”

3. Make It VisualBuilding mood boards for different brand components is a great way to make your vision accessible to others, further refine your thoughts, and check for consistency. John and his team create mood boards for almost every component of the restaurant -- food, interiors, uniforms, tabletop design, fonts, colors, and logo elements, to name a few. When you invest time into identifying how you want your brand to look and feel early on, it will save you time and energy down the line, as you’ve already done the legwork

to determine what you are and what you aren’t. John says, “We do this exercise with all of our restaurants because it means that from the beginning, we are all really clear on how we want the restaurant to feel and be.”

4. Get the Right People InvolvedStep back and be honest about which parts of brand development you and your team are great at and which parts may require some expert assistance. There are companies entirely dedicated to brand development that will be able to walk you through the process and produce various elements like your logo, website, menu, and even uniforms. A third party can also help create an end product that feels like a clear, consistent, communicable, and beautiful personality that is truly well constructed. Full-Service: Holistic design companies like Shea Design and AvroKO offer soup-to-nuts services that do everything from concept refinement and brand development to architecture, interior design, and beyond. Since companies like these are touching multiple parts of your operation, consistency and clarity in communication are easy to achieve.

Boutique: Smaller, boutique design houses can be brought in for specific projects, like Agentsie, a firm

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focused primarily on brand development and graphic design for hospitality clients. A more limited scope of work can provide cost savings, but you’re then responsible for incorporating your brand into other elements of the restaurant.

First, identify exactly what areas you need help with. Next, look for companies whose work you really connect with. Is there a restaurant with branding you love that also feels similar to what you want for your own? Get in touch with the restaurant and ask them whom they hired. Once you have a short list, interview each team in person (whenever possible).

“So much of this business is based on relationships. If you hire a designer that isn’t like- minded, how are they going to tap into you and really express your ideas the way that you’re envisioning them?”

John Ross

TIP: Depending on the size of your team, it’s always worthwhile to look internally first. John says, “Look for people who are in your house and are very talented, who might be able to do things with design or photography, or anything along those lines. It helps them build their own

portfolio and it helps you save money.” Plus, someone in your family will have an immediate understanding of who you are and what you’re hoping to build.

5. Invest in Key TouchpointsEvery brand is made of thousands of tiny details, and some pieces of your brand are going to speak louder than others. Those are the ones you want to invest in.

In John’s experience, your logo, website, photography, and menu design are four items worth spending money on. High-quality, on-brand photography will be important for your website and will also be a resource that you go back to time and time again leading up to your opening and long afterwards. A picture says a thousand words, so make sure yours are consistent with your brand message.

TIP: To maximize the value of your photography contract, split it up into three or four shorter sessions. Your first session may be just dedicated to interior design details because the kitchen may not be functioning yet, then the next shoot would be food and cocktails, and your last session should be some “live action” shots when the restaurant is actually open. That way you’ll have some high-quality photos on hand early, but you can also capture the range of images that you’ll ultimately need to have in your inventory.

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6. Incorporate Your Brand into EverythingWhen it comes to your brand, everything matters. Everything that another person hears, sees, tastes, touches, and smells will help form their perception of your business and what you offer, so it’s your job to tie every decision you make back to your brand. Some major considerations:

• Social media. Social media content should be carefully considered and share the same voice as your website and other branded materials. Your Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts are important touch points -- they should be managed by a team member with an intimate understanding of your brand. If you’re a chef-driven, ingredient-focused restaurant, skip the emojis. Posts should be focused on spotlighting dishes, showcasing ingredients or techniques, and should be visually stimulating.

Each of B. Hospitality’s restaurants uses the same Instagram filter on every photo they post so that each brand is consistent, but distinct from the other restaurants. They also make sure there’s a clear connection between photos and that all social media subject matter relates back to the overall brand message.

• Hiring. When building your team, find the right people to

create the right environment. If your restaurant concept touts the sustainable farming behind the food, hire people who share those values. This will make for more genuine guest interactions, more fulfilled employees, and a stronger brand.

As a best practice, hiring a team of folks whose values align with your brand identity makes it much easier to deliver your brand message consistently.

• Uniforms. Your people are your most impactful brand ambassadors. For fine-dining concepts, most attempts at purchasing inexpensive uniforms will detract from the message you are trying to send your guest; tasting menus and brigade-style service don’t go with poorly tailored suits. If your service style encourages your staff to express their personalities at the table, consider setting up some guidelines and letting them wear their own clothes.

• Interior design. Everything a guest sees inside your restaurant is an indication of your brand. Your flatware, plates, glassware, linens, and the quality of your furniture and fixtures should be consistent with the price point of your menu and the rest of your brand. Guests join you not just to eat and drink, but also for the experience. The ambience you create sets the tone for their enjoyment and provides a backdrop for the dishes you serve.

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• Music. By selecting a soundtrack that jives with your brand, you’ll cultivate an environment that makes guests feel like they’re doing more than just dining. If you’re a fine-dining concept, volume should be modest and your selection tastefully appropriate. For more vibrant, playful concepts, lose the classical music and turn up the volume a bit.

• Press interviews. As the media begins to approach you and members of your team for information on your forthcoming restaurant, stay consistent in your communication. Make sure that every person on your team is using similar language that reinforces your brand. Early tidbits from the press may be the first impression you send to the public, so make sure that impression is not conflicting or scattered.

7. Let It EvolveThe process of building your brand will never end. As soon as you open your doors, your restaurant will occupy a part of people’s lives in ways you weren’t expecting, and it’s important to allow your brand to change organically as your restaurant evolves. That doesn’t mean you should stop maintaining and reinforcing it, but do stay open to changing course from time to time.

The most successful restaurants offer up a brand identity but also take cues from their guests and the energy they bring. It’s important that both sides are represented and that the experience you create is one that guests feel like active participants in developing.

Key Takeaways

1. Know what you don’t know. Developing a cohesive, engaging brand is difficult and important. If you don’t feel 110% confident doing the work yourself, hire an expert to guide you through the process.

2. When hiring outside help, do your research and make sure you see eye to eye. Get references from people whose brands you love, look for creative expression that attracts you, and make sure you personally connect with the person you hire.

3. Consistency is key. Every interaction your guests and employees have with your restaurant will impact their perception of your brand. From your uniforms to your plates to your logo to the people you hire, make sure every element reinforces the brand you’ve defined.

4. Prioritize your social media strategy. Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools at our disposal. Work with your team to implement a strategy that reinforces the aesthetic and spirit of your brand, and follow through with it.

5. Invest more money in the brand touchpoints that have the most impact. Your website, logo, photography, and menu design are items that guests will use to form an initial impression of your restaurant, and they’re also things that will stay with you for the longest time. Make sure you get them right the first time.

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Content for How to Create a Brand adapted from How to Open a Restaurant by Alison Arth.

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