Checkland Kindleysides rebrands Byron encouraging people to eat together

London-based studio Checkland Kindleysides has created a new visual identity for burger restaurant Byron, featuring a table motif and the layering of different visual “ingredients”. It has been inspired by the restaurant’s new mantra – “All hail the table” – which aims to encourage people to eat together, after research found that a third of people eat nearly every meal alone.

“It’s a straightforward idea: do something unexpected and have some fun with it,” Checkland Kindleysides creative director Steven Ubsdell tells It’s Nice That, “Just like the creation of a Byron burger, it can be as simple or indulgent as necessary. The brand uses a common set of ingredients that get layered to match requirements.”

Checkland Kindleysides has used typeface Nimbus Sans throughout the identity, selected for its “no frills simplicity and clarity,” says Ubsdell. “Sometimes the brand is about sitting back and letting the type do the talking, other times we will fancy things up a bit, but at the heart of everything will be our super cunning plan: bring people together over proper food and good times.”

The new identity introduced a primary brand colour of coral red, “born from the warm glow a kitchen permeating into the social space,” says Ubsdell. “It’s an invitation for people to feel the social buzz of the kitchen together around the table.” Checkland Kindleysides then created a secondary palette, taking hues from every section of the spectrum, actively encouraging clashing tones to reflect the idea of elements coming together under one roof.

While Byron’s logo was soft-launched in the summer, the new visual identity is being rolled out to coincide with a new interior design language for the chain’s 53 restaurants, also created by Checkland Kindleysides. It signals a shift in strategy for the restaurant, appealing to the brunch market with large communal tables and a specific brunch menu, and to freelancers with sofas for those working on laptops.

The rebrand and new strategy follows a challenging period for the 12-year-old restaurant. Last year it closed 16 restaurants and announced a sharp fall in revenue, while in 2016 its reputation was significantly damaged following reports of staff being called into meetings about performance that turned out to be Home Office immigration raids.