"A new communicative and architectural image of a restaurant that promises to make your mouth water"
David Cruz
The brief
With the promise of having the best suckling pig sandwich in the world, Reco is a restaurant company that, in addition to its well-known dishes around suckling pig from Anadia, also offers plenty of alternatives in a space created in 2015.
In 2019, DN took on the huge responsibility of remodeling the brand. Not only was a rebranding project carried out, but also a design of what would be the restaurant's new architectural space.
Approach
In this specific work, there were some guidelines regarding the need for changes to the food court of the mall where our customer was present. With this change, the moment was taken to recreate the brand, both in terms of its designation, but also in terms of the atmosphere and communication of the restaurant itself.
With the remodeling of the restaurant area of the famous Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet, O Reco - famous for its suckling pig sandwich - felt that it would be the ideal time for an internal remodeling of what was the restaurant's brand, space and communication.
Initially, a survey was made of what the existing communication was and what the positioning of the restaurant was. In this way, our proposal begins with the remodeling of the brand's logo: the well-known piglet. At the time, the client's logo had some negative characteristics, using an apathetic, sad and too heavy image for the target audience. In this way, we intend to convey a new image of the restaurant. A more relaxed and urban image, featuring the famous piglet, but with more friendly and modern features, almost turning the same piglet into an affable and lively mascot.
Associated with the logo, we presented a new color scheme and materials to be used. This new illustrative base allowed a more diversified and lively combination, giving the possibility of creating a voluminous graphic number, capable of responding to the customer's future needs. In this way, DN had an additional concern in terms of also providing an illustrative base capable of accompanying the client's sustainable growth, providing the necessary illustrative bases for future creation of materials, such as deliverables, posters, or even in the creation of new stores maintaining an unmistakable identity.
In addition to this, Reco also felt the need to provide a more varied menu for the consumer, increasing its range of products around suckling pig, but also focusing on new targets, through salads and grilled hamburgers. For this specific purpose, DN created a photographic style for the different dishes on the menu, through a top view, also recreating the layout of the menus presented in the restaurant.
Based on the brand's original positioning, new consumption moments were also created. In addition to pastries, cafeteria, desserts and snacks, DN included in its plan the creation of a wine cellar strategically located in the central area of the restaurant, visible not only to customers within the space itself, but also to potential customers who circulate in the space. around.
After that, the big goal was to move on to architectural remodeling. The client needed to ensure some specific space for the kitchen area, storage and customer service, also requiring some specific space for service boxes, display windows, counter and an area for customers. The architectural proposal involved the refurbishment of the various pre-existing areas, maintaining its genesis of counter service, creating a room where customers can sit and have their relaxed and comfortable meal, having in their vision a real estate complex and highly personalized decoration.
This new backroom was of central importance in this project: in addition to being a new room in the restaurant, it was of utmost importance that it had an eye-catching decoration reconciled with a wide view, containing space for consumption by groups of four people, consumption in pairs through high tables and also individual consumption through a counter with high stools. In this new customer space, in addition to an original and lively background wall, we had the idea of adding a highly flashy and colorful neon, so that the colors used caused a feeling of warmth.
The Reco now presents a new look. A more striking look, with a large space and an attractive menu capable of responding not only to suckling pig lovers but also to audiences who want other variations of the dish or even more casual menus.
