The Yard works on ‘gourmet’ kebab brand

The Yard Creative is branding and creating the interior of the UK franchise for Sunshine Kebabs, an Australian restaurant venture set to open in the food court of shopping centre Westfield Merry Hill in the West Midlands.

Following a recommendation, the consultancy was chosen via a credentials pitch ahead of two other groups.

The chain of 21 outlets is looking to approach the UK with a renewed offer, having asked the consultancy to identify the freshness of its products in the new designs.

Steve James-Royle, creative director of The Yard Creative, says, ‘The Australian brand wasn’t right for the UK market.’ He adds, ‘The logo was a bit big and brash. There were three pieces of iconography, but the focus was more on the icons than the name. The word “kebab” is prioritised, but in a lighter, smaller font.’

The newly branded restaurant will market the food as ‘gourmet kebabs’ to reflect the offer. James-Royle believes the word ‘gourmet’ has been popular and effective in branding similar restaurants and cites its effectiveness in the naming of Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

James-Royle says the space has been designed with ‘warmer and softer lighting’ than the Australian outlets, ‘which look a bit 1990s, with too much fluorescent lighting’.

If the Merry Hill restaurant is successful after its opening on 21 October, James-Royle hopes the new look will influence the design of outlets in Australia and Korea.