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2018’s Restaurant Instagram Wins
Happy New Year everyone! As we look back at 2018, we took notice to some of our clients who were absolutely exceptional at leveraging Instagram. Instagram offers so much value as a long-form ongoing storytelling platform that increases your brand’s reach and ability to optimize frequency. It’s THE best way to tell your story day-in […]
Joseph lends his restaurant branding expertise to Vox & Washingtonian
Principal, Joseph Szala, lends his expertise to two articles about restaurant branding and naming. The first article discusses the nuances of restaurant naming and how it pertains to a new fast casual restaurant in Washington, DC. The second, published on Vox, speculates the real reasons for Hooters’ decline. Is it the uniform? The format? Millennials’ […]
Revolutionizing Restaurant Brand Experiences – Joseph’s talk at the FED Summit
I had the honor of speaking to a fantastic group of food service and equipment professionals this September in Chicago, Illinois. The focus of my talk was on the future, distant and near, of restaurant brand experiences, and how they’re changing. From bots to 3D printed food, I posed serious questions on the roles of our […]
How to brand a restaurant
Before learning how to brand a restaurant, you first have to know the definition of branding. There is an astounding amount of misconception surrounding what “branding” actually means. Professionals in the creative industry are some of the worst offenders. “We’ll do your branding” and “we branded that restaurant” are phrases you hear and read often… […]
New ways for food court brands to thrive in malls – QSR Magazine
Originally published by QSR Magazine For many of us, the food court was the first place to go in a mall. Right in the middle of bustling big box anchors and niche stores filled with everything from menswear to kids’ toys, the cool kids gathered in an epicenter of quick-service restaurants to see and be […]
The most expensive thing you’ll ever say: restaurant tagline do’s and don’ts
At a recent lunch with the Vigor team, someone brought up a chain restaurant slogan that they just couldn’t stand. It had a major cringe-factor, and didn’t communicate much. After throwing around some equally cringe-inducing variations on the tagline, we felt the need to do something constructive. So we thought some restaurant tagline do’s and […]
Know Thy Position—Strategy Series Part One
This article is the first of a 5-part series about Vigor’s strategic framework. Imagine that you’re preparing to interview for your dream job. As you carefully comb through your wardrobe, you imagine how each item might strike the interviewer—this shirt is conservative, these glasses make me look smart, these socks are coy, et cetera (we […]
You vs. Them – A branding lesson in understanding your audience
You’re reaching the launching point of a new brand and you’re anxiously waiting to unfurl the new look and brand to the world. You’re certain it will be received with positive feedback, or, at least, it won’t be hated. You know this because you’ve guided the process from beginning to end based on what you […]
Restaurant Design & Development Magazine Article: 5 ways to bridge the branding & interior design divide
Originally published in Restaurant Design & Development magazine We’re all familiar with restaurant interiors. We’re all also familiar with restaurant brands. But over the years, I’ve noticed something: More often than not, the brand identity does not align with the experience created by the interior design. Individually, both may be brilliant — each with their […]
Vigor takes Silver in Graphis Design Annual
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of winning. Especially when the competition is fierce. We are honored to announce that Graphis, a renowned design publication, has saw fit to award Vigor silver in their 2016 Design Annual. The design and branding work for the Burger Radio food truck has officially been recognized as best in […]