202 Market Restaurant Branding
Location: Roanoke Virginia and Western Virginia Area
Reach: Regional
Demographic: Foodies, music lovers, sophisticated executive crowd, culturally-active individuals, young professionals
Abstract //
Partners in Roanoke, Virginia had put together a concept that was unique not only to the region, but the East coast. Converting 10,000 square feet of historic space in the Market Square Business District, the partners sought to implement a concept that brought together fine dining, nationally acclaimed music performances, fine art, and a progressive bar and lounge scene under one roof.
Key Challenges //
- Brand key offerings under one parent brand that can develop distinct identities but work together in any bond to one another. All child brands also must be fully represented under the parent brand.
- Introduce a progressive, New York-style venue in the heart of Roanoke, VA—a region whose market covets traditional values and who does not welcome large-scale change historically.
- Divorce the former image of the space as a nightclub wrought with problems and that was received poorly by Roanoke in years past
- Produce all strategy, creative, collateral and deliverables within a 2-month time frame.
Do it with Vigor //
We got right to work on segmenting the brands logically first. This was a critical foundation that would guide all design and strategy to follow. We based the child brands on the parent 202 Market brand using a perfect square as a tethering element between child and parent brands in any configuration imaginable. We also selected specific, branded colors for each, the parent bearing a bold red that is equally strong in print as it is on outdoor signage; a cool, contemporary green for Kitchen, reflecting the Chef's contemporary and fresh approach to cuisine; a unique blue for CityBar, the more urban club and lounge area that hosts jazz, blues and rock bands and shakes up martinis like they're going out of style; and finally a citrusy orange for The Loft, an contemporary piano bar sequestered away from the hubub downstairs but the best hidden secret in the joint.
Having the brands aligned and in place, we attacked the initial introduction campaign that spanned all media, from billboards to web advertising to radio. We aggressively tore apart the local media planning that was in place prior to our engagement and put it back together with the help of a competent agency in Roanoke retained by 202. We put less emphasis on the "expected" and built a fast-tracked aura of intrigue by twisting many of the traditional media committments made. We literally wanted the buzz to turn sleepy Roanoke on its ear. In no time flat, the local liquor control board had one of our billboards blacked out. This is just the kind of "poking the bear" response we wanted.
We tipped the pot just to the point of spilling with our initial campaign and quickly cleaned up spills with a bona fide fulfillment of 202's brand promise. Many of our follow-up activities were focused on hinting at what 202 was capable of without bragging and urging the public to come on the journey with us to discover how it was different, how it was better—never explicity labling 202 outright. We put a lot of emphasis on the child brands to carry each distinctly different offering under the 202 Market parent.
Vigor Services //
- Brand strategy
- Brand identity design
- Menu system design
- Interior elements design
- Media planning
- Traditional advertising
- Online advertising
- Public relations
- Event promotions
Results //
The Venue opened April of 2007 and was met by the region with great success, establishing 202 Market as the flagship venue above all competitors in Roanoke. By summer of 2007, 202 Market was reviewed with acclaim and rated Roanoke's "Five-Star" restaurant by The Roanoke Times—one of only two establishments to ever receive this rating. Chef Chad Scott has also since been contracted to write as a culinary pundit for several regional publications.
