How to Build a Visual Brand Identity
A conversation with Oyster Sunday’s Lead Designer, Maude Paquette-Boulva
At Oyster Sunday, our Hospitality Studio brings brands to life through visual identity, positioning, digital marketing, and more.
Since 2019, our Lead Designer Maude has played a key role in bringing brands to life, including Oyster Sunday itself. We sat down with Maude to discuss how she approaches creating a brand through the lens of Bad Roman, our most recent visual identity project. Bad Roman is a modern, maximalist Italian restaurant in New York City’s Colombus Circle and the latest addition to the Quality Branded restaurant portfolio.
Maude led the development of Bad Roman’s visual brand identity, including logos, typography, colors, and graphic elements like the signature snake. Read on to see how Maude thinks about brand, and how we supported the Quality Branded team in building the eccentric world of Bad Roman.
Can you walk us through your typical design process when creating a new visual brand identity?
Maude: The creative process is a bit like a funnel of ideas and possibilities. Any project typically starts at the top with an exploration phase that includes both a questionnaire (about the brand, product, vision, story, etc.) as well as a visual survey in the form of mood boards. The less we know about a brand or client, the broader the styles will be in that visual territory phase. Once aligned, we start moving along that funnel and try and narrow down who that brand is and what it should look like.
How did the brand identity process work with Bad Roman?
Maude: The Quality Branded team had a fairly clear idea of the style they wanted and were able to share initial mood boards and interior renderings, which were incredibly helpful in understanding their vision. After presenting an updated summary of the design direction and getting it approved, we moved forward with a first round of visual identity, in which we presented a few custom branding options. We worked with the Bad Roman team to pick one and kept refining it in subsequent rounds until we reached the bottom of our funnel and had a solid identity. We then proceeded to put everything together in a Brand Guidelines document.
Given the eclectic nature of the restaurant, the rest of our scope consisted of creating various branded applications, from serpent-shaped sizzle sticks to custom plate designs, matchboxes, and takeout bags. We also had the opportunity to create detailed menu boards with playful textures and patterns.
The branding even extended to the physical space by both Quality Branded's internal design team and GRT Architects. If you stop by Bad Roman, see if you can find all the serpent elements!
What are some of the key elements you consider when developing a visual brand identity?
Maude: The approach varies depending on the project, but when it comes to restaurants, they often carry a deeply personal touch. Consequently, my goal is to ensure that the brand effectively conveys the emotions and values that the founders wish to express through their culinary creations and philosophy.
Additionally, I prioritize enabling clients to maintain their brand independently. To achieve this, I tailor the designs to suit their existing skill set or their willingness to learn new tools. The brand identity should be an everyday resource that empowers them to confidently utilize it, rather than something unfamiliar that they fear mishandling.
Initial concept explorations
We're grateful to Maude for her time and insights, as well as the endless creativity she brings to her work with OS. You can find Maude on Instagram at @maudepb and explore Bad Roman at @badromannyc.
If you're interested in learning more about other OS projects, follow us at @oystersunday.
