The Lubecker
Logo / Naming / Branding & Design / Illustration / Packaging
CHALLENGES
Since I really had no knowledge about German culture or history, I was initially intimidated about creating a German brand. So I began by researching, reading, and watching documentaries about anything German culture. Then I eventually started just researching Lübeck. This was mostly just so I wouldn't sound stupid while discussing authentic German concepts with Olaf.
BRIEF
Olaf Scheil is on a mission to bring authentic German food back to downtown Cincinnati. Originally from Lübeck, Germany, He's lived in Cincinnati for over 10 years. He's always been disappointed by the lack of real home-cooked German cuisine. He decided he was going to share his own family recipes with Cincinnati and created "The Lübecker" German restaurant.
GOALS
I Olaf wanted a modern adaptation of the Lübeck seal for his logo, and was adamant about the color palette being black and red. His plan was to serve at festivals and Findlay Market until he could get a brick and mortar restaurant in Over-the-Rhine. He hired me to create the logo, Brand, and marketing.
We met at Hofbrauhaus every week to hangout and bounce ideas around. This was fun but also important to make sure my ideas translated from American to German. I still can't speak German, but I do know a lot for someone who's never formally studied German history.
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Besides making sure the brand was authentic, I also wanted to make sure it was inviting as well. German design can be a little intimidating. It's mostly harsh geometric angles and bold contradicting colors. I wanted the restaurant to feel German, but also family friendly so I had to find the right balance within the design.
UNIQUE SOLUTION
While researching I pulled an image of the "Adler Von Lübeck." This is basically an ancient ship that still sits in the Lübeck harbor. I wanted to use this as my "key visual" for designing the brand. So using a lot of washed wood texture and flags for banners would give it a slight nautical feel. For the logo I re-drew the double eagle numerous times until I got to one with the right mix of hard and soft angles. I also used perfect circles for the eyes that made it look friendlier. I used an exaggerated German type-style to help it communicate even more German-ness. However, the black and red was still making the brand feel too intense. So I decided to go with a modern interior design strategy for finessing the color palette. So the brand is 60% white 30% black and 10% red. This keeps the black and red from clashing while the white makes it feel modern.
