Take the bull by the horns

Rodney Fitch & Company is creating the branding and communications materials for a new multi-level restaurant and bar venue that opens in the heart of London’s Smithfields market in May.

The consultancy was appointed to work on Smiths of Smithfield by restaurateurs Stuart Hopson Smith and John Terode last year. Described by Rodney Fitch creative director Gabriel Murray as an ‘organic gastro experience’, the four-floor venue is being designed by architect Wells Mackereth.

‘The ground floor will be a brasserie and take away area, the first floor will have a champagne bar, there will be a dining room on the second level and a very smart restaurant on the roof,’ says Murray.

‘The whole identity and communications needed to be straightforward. We wanted the identity to be conversational as opposed to visual in order to get the brand talked about everywhere,’ he says.

This has been achieved by using speech marks on either side of the Smiths name. These also double as horns, reflecting the traditional nature of the local environment – it was originally a meat market.

The branding continues on to the wall graphics and menus with light-hearted comments which play on meat and eat-related words.

Murray adds: ‘We have also created three sub-identities for the different restaurants, using SOS in both lettering and in morse code on plates, ashtrays and other items in the roof-top restaurant, and BOB, for Best of British, in the take away section.’

Design: Rodney Fitch & Company

Creative director: Gabriel Murray

Client: Stuart Hopson Smith and John Terode, Smiths of Smithfield