Jacksonville, Florida (RestaurantNews.com) Independent agency based in Jacksonville, Florida St-Jean led the concept, design and execution of all aspects of Wonderbird, a new fast food chicken concept aimed at bridging the gap between fast food and premium dining. The first restaurant opened in Jacksonville Beach, Florida on February 2.
Wonderbird has a lot to offer, with an extensive menu including fresh and mouth-watering chicken sandwiches, nuggets and tenders with 11 tasty homemade sauces, as well as tasty salads, sides, desserts and vegan meal options without chicken and tender. But in order to bridge the gap between speed and quality, St. John worked with Wonderbird to position the brand as a new “fast-food restaurant” and create a brand identity that’s every bit as unique as Wonderbird’s food. .
“A lot of the QSR brands we know today have roots going back 40-50 years, and honestly some haven’t aged particularly well,” said Peter Herbst, St. John’s Chief Creative Officer. “It was a chance to start from scratch with a brand that wanted to do something different in the category. We knew Wonderbird’s branding should be different – lighter, fresher, sharper with an air of whimsy and inclusiveness. From the name to the menu boards, it had to stand out in a way that would make people smile.
“Magnetic” has been the primary attribute that St. John has strived to convey in every design element, aiming to engage customers in a visceral and powerful way throughout the dining experience, from from food to environment to packaging and every communication in between.
As the name suggests, Wonderbird looks, acts, and serves food that’s a step above the rest in its class. To balance the need to communicate fast food but also high quality food, St. John incorporated a more traditional red and yellow color scheme as commonly seen in the fast food world with heavy doses of Matte Black. The agency also selected simplified typefaces, while opting for a clean and simple logo to avoid the flowery type and pattern often found in the artisan food category to help Wonderbird stand out. The increased visibility of the Wonderbird logo on the packaging was also kept modern and playful with brand placement and scale.
St. John won the business in March 2020 and began work on the project last May. The company offered “Fast. Crafts. Foods.” as a brand descriptor to evoke simplicity, freshness and quality ingredients without sacrificing drive-thru convenience. The agency also leveraged the brand’s secondary personality traits such as infectious, fiery, imaginative, approachable, heartfelt, and soulful to bring a whimsical touch to the brand.
St. John developed everything from the brand name and logo, to the color scheme, typography, product packaging and branding materials, interior and exterior signage, menu boards, site design Web, food photography, employee t-shirts and visors and manager’s polo shirts. .
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