▪ Brand Identity Development
Frites & Elixir
A serif lockup around an oversized ampersand, where comfort food meets the craft of the glass.
- Date
- Apr 2024
- Client
- Reem Al Qassimi (Sharjah, UAE)
- Discipline
- F&B, Cafe / Bistro
- Sector
- F&B
About the project, our role, our approach
The introduction
Frites & Elixir is a cafe-bistro built on a pairing: frites (comfort) and elixir (the crafted drink). Its elegant serif type wrapped around a sage-grey ampersand makes the '&' the hero. Mohammed Vaseeuddin was asked to build a playful-premium hospitality identity that celebrates that pairing.
- Make the ampersand the signature device.
- Define a warm, elevated bistro visual language.
- Establish a witty, characterful venue voice.
- Set colour and type for menus, signage and social.
- 01Discovery: understand the venue, its menu pairing and the guest it wants.
- 02Essence: frame the brand around the 'and', food and drink, comfort and craft.
- 03System: logo behaviour, palette, type and menu/signage templates.
History and heritage
Brand origin story
Frites & Elixir was born from a simple, delightful contradiction: the humblest comfort food (frites) and the most crafted of drinks (an elixir), served side by side without apology. The oversized ampersand makes the union the whole point, this is a place built on pairings, where the everyday and the elevated share a table.
Mission, vision, promise, essence statement
Vision and mission
Mission, what we do today
To pair honest comfort food with beautifully crafted drinks in one welcoming room.
Vision, future aspiration
To be the neighbourhood spot known for getting both the simple and the special right.
Brand promise
Comfort and craft, always served together.
Brand essence statement
Frites & Elixir is the joy of the pairing, comfort and craft, joined by an '&'.
The principles that guide Frites & Elixir
Core values
The Pairing
Two things, better together.
Craft
Care in the fryer and the glass alike.
Warmth
Hospitality that feels effortless.
Character
Personality on the plate and the page.
Meaning, culture, interpretation
Brand essence
Name & symbol
'Frites & Elixir' names the high-low pairing; the giant ampersand makes the union the brand's icon.
Cultural resonance
Bistro culture celebrates the pleasure of small indulgences shared, the '&' captures it.
Emotional recipe
Delight, ease and a little indulgence.
Interpretation for the brand
Let the ampersand lead as a graphic device; pair elegant serif type with a calm sage and a warm brass accent.
Archetype, personality, tone of voice
Brand archetype
Witty, warm and a little indulgent, Frites & Elixir speaks like a charming host who takes pleasure seriously but never itself, delighting in the high-low mix.
- Primary, Jester
- Secondary, Lover
- Playful
- Warm
- Characterful
- Indulgent
- Charming
Logo, typography, colour, mood
Visual identity
Marble counters, golden frites, jewel-toned drinks, brass fittings, soft sage walls and a hero ampersand. Playful-premium bistro warmth, high meets low, beautifully.
An elegant high-contrast serif matching the wordmark, for the name, menus and signage.
A clean geometric sans for menu detail, prices and body copy.
- Hero ampersand
- Marble & brass
- Golden frites
- Crafted glass
- Sage walls
- High-low
First applications and handover
Business stationery
- 01Menu: ampersand masthead with food/drink pairing layout.
- 02Signage: window and interior ampersand lockups.
- 03Business card: ampersand-forward card.
- 04Coaster / napkin: branded service touches.
- 05Letterhead: venue correspondence and events.
- 06Social kit: pairing-of-the-day and event templates.
Clear space, minimum size, misuse
Logo usage
The mark, and how to protect it. Give it room, hold its proportions, and keep it on-system across every surface.
In their words
From the blank page to the final visual identity, the entire process was driven by an intuitive understanding of the F&B market. The brand instantly resonated with our target demographic.
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The struggle
We were opening a new cafe/bistro in a highly competitive market and needed a brand identity that would immediately grab attention and communicate our unique culinary vibe.
The evaluation
We wanted a designer who didn't just make pretty logos, but who fundamentally understood consumer psychology in the food and beverage sector.
The execution
The design journey was seamless. It was clear that the creative choices were rooted in a deep, intuitive understanding of what makes a modern F&B brand successful and memorable.
The result
A vibrant, cohesive visual identity that instantly resonated with our exact target demographic, driving immediate footfall and strong brand recall from opening day.