LogoLounge 5

The ChefBurger fi ts the bill. He has endless personalities. His face

can be changed to suggest spicy, tangy, or just about any fl avor.

It can also suggest actual ingredients, such as bacon or veggies.

He can have a body or not; he can be used with the word mark

or alone; with a blue plaid background (chosen for its picnic/

tablecloth implications) or on a solid color, white, or kraft paper

bag background.

“We have created an iconic library for the brand. It provides visu-

als to draw upon to keep the brand fresh but controlled,” says

Design Ranch principal Michelle Sonderegger.

Originally, the client was leaning toward an all-type solution, to

suggest that the restaurant is a bit more upscale. “But we felt he

was missing an opportunity to create a recognizable and ownable

brand—the icon needed to be there,” she adds.

The word mark portion and the color of the identity further differ-

entiate the business from other homogenized burger joints. “Many

burger restaurants use red and yellow; we chose baby blue, which

is much more modern. We also have a lot more metal, stainless,

and light wood used in the fi nish and build out,” adds Carpenter.

When a casual restaurant offers fare as interesting as falafel burg-

ers, fried green beans, and spiked milkshakes, a diner knows right

away that he or she is in for a completely different experience.

Chef and entrepreneur Rob Dalzell dreamed up ChefBurger and

its unique menu and hired Design Ranch to create an all-encom-

passing brand identity system that would perfectly match the food

in terms of fl avor and fun. Collaborating with McHenry Shaffer

Architecture, the new identity is everywhere, from napkins, bags,

and tabletops, to t-shirts, signage, and even the tissue paper that

wraps each burger.

Located in Kansas City’s Power and Light District, ChefBurger

follows Dalzell’s other restaurants in offering fabulous food, fresh

ingredients, and great service, says principal Ingred Sidie. Custom-

ers can mix and match toppings and burgers endlessly, according

to their specifi c tastes. “ChefBurger redefi nes the typical ham-

burger by offering unique and gourmet toppings in addition to

simple signature items in a fun, casual environment,” she says.

At the center of the new identity is the ChefBurger himself, a

quirky icon infl uenced by urban culture and grown directly out of

the restaurant’s word mark. The designers explored other design

directions as possibilities for the new identity, including an actual

chef and a chef/bull, but these felt fi nite in concept. “We wanted

an identity that was unexpected and original, one that uniquely

conveyed customization,” says senior designer Tad Carpenter.

ChefBurger

Identity Design

Design Ranch, Kansas City, Missouri

91

Design Ranch had the unique

opportunity to create an all-

encompassing brand identity for

a new, upscale, fast-food restau-

rant called ChefBurger. From the

store’s architecture and interior to

its food packaging and business

stationery system, everything is

tied together.

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