Chapter 23. Branding Bars and Restaurants

Throughout its existence, my agency has created over a dozen successful brands for bars and restaurants, many of which are still in operation today.

A restaurant or bar is not just about food and drinks; it's about leisure, business meetings, and significant events. The competition in this segment is very high, and the sophistication of visitors is off the charts. Everyone considers themselves connoisseurs of restaurants, and there are countless reviews in this niche, so a high rating is essential.

Investments, risks, and the human factor are at a maximum. Several fatal mistakes can ruin the reputation of a bar or restaurant, and sometimes it's impossible to restore it. I will divide the narration into separate categories, although branding has many similarities.

Let's start with bars. In bars, beverages are the core of sales, with a revenue-to-kitchen ratio of 70/30. It is logical since people come to bars to drink, and the menu is dominated by snacks.

Let's examine each one as an example. Wine bars have become very popular in the last 10 years. Since wine is produced in many parts of the world, the concept can be based on the locality where the grapes grow. Let's take Australia and its iconic animal, the kangaroo - there's a rough outline of the concept.

Modern interior with recognizable Australian identity: landscapes, wildlife, trees, and scenery. The bar's concept can be supported by specializing in Australian wines while still having a broad menu for people with diverse preferences. Add dishes from Australian cuisine to the kitchen menu. Make waiters wear merchandise stylized as kangaroo pouches - it will be cute and functional.

The basis of a bar concept can also be a well-known actor or story. Call the bar "Belmondo" and infuse it with the spirit of adventure through images played by the popular actor in movies. For the wine menu, make an emphasis on the French wines that he loved. Or "Waterloo" - how diverse and historically majestic the story of this battle can be, narrated through the interior and communication platform of such a wine bar.

In the beer niche, there are so many brands that it's quite challenging to find an available name for registration. However, if you start with a story rather than a name, the idea for the name will come to you quite easily and organically. Depending on the choice of the primary concept, search for stories in the culture of the country and beer brewing in general.

Having recently visited one of the ski resorts in Siberia, Sheregesh, the idea of a themed Apres-ski bar came to my mind.

Visually, the building's exterior can look quite modern but reminiscent of a "hut on chicken legs," something like a stylized shaman's dwelling. The interior is adorned with runes and cave paintings on the walls. The restaurant's menu features popular dishes as well as game meat, and the cocktail menu focuses on signature infusions with herbs and authentic shamanic cocktails.

In the communication and identity, there is no leaning towards archaism; we are not trying to create a shaman's hut; we are playing with the idea. Inside the bar, we can create a symbolic "tree of desires" to which visitors can attach locks with engravings like "to come back," "for good luck," "for money," etc. People enjoy playing such games, and locks can be sold for a separate fee, with names of people engraved on them. This will turn into a must-have ritual that visitors should perform when coming to Sheregesh, connected with local culture and traditions.

During prime time, a colorful singer with throat singing can perform, and many will capture it on video, making it go viral. To support the concept, a collaboration can be done with snowboard manufacturers to release a "Shaman" capsule collection, which can be given away at the opening or launched as part of a loyalty program to earn a snowboard after a certain number of visits. Owls can also be introduced in the bar, as they are mystical birds, and people will take pictures with them.

This example characterizes how a brand concept can be built around local culture and customs.

The sports theme is quite extensive, and it offers numerous sources of inspiration. Concepts for English pubs are quite similar to Irish ones, so look for clues in the culture and creativity of Great Britain. A brewery involves a large set of associated terms and many stories about monks who brewed beer and other related aspects.

The process is very similar to branding bars, but the focus shifts to food in this case. The development of the concept is also based on well-known restaurant formats:

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, but these are the most common concepts. Since the concept of a beer restaurant slightly differs from a beer bar, let's move on to the trendy urban café format.

Usually, such establishments are popular for meetings and evening gatherings. They are characterized by modern design and follow the latest trends in cuisine, such as vegetarianism, raw food, and healthy eating.

In 2009, I created the concept for an elite poker club that also had a small bar and restaurant. The idea was simple: to make poker accessible to young people through tournaments with a small entry fee and to provide entertainment for women accompanying men. For the bar, I chose a catchy and memorable name "Barsuk" (Badger). The logo featured the head of an animated badger and four differently suited aces. The name quickly caught on due to wordplay and double meaning. It was provocative, but that's precisely what worked.

The first audience of the bar was formed from the client base of my private poker club, which included the "golden youth" and the fashionable crowd of Novosibirsk. The bar quickly became popular. The thrill of the game for men, an intellectual pastime, a restaurant, a bar, and a glamorous interior for women to "show off" their evening dresses. Any, even a trendy idea, should meet the needs of the target audience.

All coffee shops have a recognizable style and symbolism, and their brand identity is built around coffee beans, cups, and a specific color palette. Standing out in this highly competitive niche requires an original idea that can be found in the accompanying product. The core of sales and identity can be snacks, croissants, pastries, bagels, cakes, or cookies.

When searching for an interesting idea for storytelling, explore the history of the beverage, its geography, and historical figures who played a key role in popularizing it. Study the slang and try to imagine the role of coffee in the life of a modern person. Describe associations and list all the words that come to mind. Doing this work will surely lead you to a story that your brand will want to tell.

The concept of an author's cuisine restaurant is built around the chef, uniqueness of recipes, and dishes. It provides a broad field for branding because with uniqueness comes the task for branding agencies to "package" this uniqueness and convey these meanings to potential clients. In the absence of uniqueness, it needs to be invented.

There are countless Japanese restaurants, and many of them have recognizable color schemes, symbols, and are similar to each other. Among the cases that caught my attention was a sushi delivery brand called "Yobi Doyobi." Its bold and provocative name attracts attention and is easily remembered. This is an excellent example of naming effectiveness in terms of branding, even though the idea did not have further development, and the concept did not extend to the product, style, or communications with the customer.

Italian restaurants have become part of the Russian reality and a super-competitive niche when it comes to choosing a brand name. However, it is also a rich source for finding stories from the culture of the Italian people.

And finally, fast food. Food trucks, hot dog stands, shawarma places, Vietnamese eateries, and other fast concepts have flooded the streets of cities and food courts. Branding fast-food places somehow resembles animation, perhaps because children make up a significant portion of the target audience or maybe because cheap products need to be as friendly as possible...

Perhaps because the pioneer of the industry, McDonald's, introduced Ronald McDonald the clown into its concept, and everyone else followed suit by introducing animated characters. You have a chance to change this established trend, as when the competitive field becomes homogeneous, it offers an excellent opportunity to highlight your brand and declare its uniqueness.

Can fast food be made strict and premium? It's risky, but it's worth a try. Surely, there are examples in the world. Conduct research before developing the idea and study global experience. A lot of information can be found in open sources. Make a list of establishments whose concepts inspire you, analyze what makes them "captivating."