By Gabriel Murray, Creative Director at TGP International

F&B brands thrive when they combine authenticity and functionality with a strong concept narrative and thoughtful design. 

As Creative Director at TGP International, I’ve learned that branding and design for restaurants must communicate seamlessly with its core concept, echoing the same principles showcased through its food, interior service style and more. It’s all part of the big idea that makes the difference.

A holistic approach not only helps enhance the customer journey but creates moments of joy and magic that allow F&B brands to stand apart in one of the most competitive markets in the world. 

We’ve worked on a vast range of F&B projects as a team, from standalone fine dining restaurants within luxury hotel hotspots to trendsetting food retail brands. However, nothing quite exemplifies the key role of the creation of strategic visual narrative that brings architecture branding and design together in the F&B space as well as Al Mamlaka Social Dining, the award-winning food hall that brings 21 different kitchens and F&B concepts under one overarching brand identity 

ALIGN BRANDING WITH THE CORE CONCEPT 

Branding expresses an F&B concept’s purpose and personality in many ways. Some of these are obvious, while others are more subtle, but no less important.  

The initial impact of branding might carry through main building signage, internal wayfinding and the way the brand presents itself visually through social media and other digital channels, but branding also impacts menu design, uniforms, flatware, and other forms of operating and equipment supplies (OS&E) within the venue even the artwork! It all contributes to the combined subconscious impact on the guest and their emotional connection to the brand.

A lack of synergy is obvious for any guest, taking away from the overall experience. And when there is harmony across all touch points, the venues’ purpose and meaning can then come to life. 

In the case of Al Mamlaka Social Dining, we had the challenge of creating a holistic experience across a space that contained many different F&B outlets within the 2,400 sqm space. Each outlet needed to align with its neighbours, work within the architecture and design style yet also retain its own core identity and brand. 

To do this, we created the project’s core idea, ‘Rustic Elegance’ as well as the concept of ‘Social Dining’. These become the framework for making all the creative and branding decisions for the customer experience.

Core to the overall creative thinking for Al Mamlaka was the idea of openness, inclusivity and the celebration of “free-range” culture and nature. We used this as our steer to create the brandmark, branding and graphic design elements. 

Avoiding any overt styles or patterns that were too heavily drawn from specific cultures, we wanted to imbue the brand with a contemporary and unique feeling. The use of a notched line was chosen to underscore the main brand mark to instill a sense of journeying to a new and exciting world of social dining. It was also a notional reference to iconic historic brands.

TELL A STORY THROUGH BRAND AND DESIGN

Effective branding tells a compelling story that connects with customers on an emotional level, whether it’s about the origin of ingredients, the history of the cuisine, or the purpose of the venue. 

The overall design of Al Mamlaka was carefully curated to embody a modern quasi-Mediterranean aesthetic, balancing uniqueness with familiarity. To do this we created the “rustic elegance” concept, aiming to create an environment that evoked an easy-going yet elevated feel, inviting patrons to feel warm and welcomed while also experiencing a sense of adventure and luxury.

Through design, we believe we took an approach that established a physical space that became a place for people to be part of – a social dining experience in the heart of Riyadh. 

A gathering space that draws from Saudi Arabia’s new dimension as an open and inclusive space for all. 

As a destination for mixing, sharing and celebrating diversity, we avoided design elements that were too heavily drawn from, or associated with, either Middle Eastern or European cultures, yet still harmonised with the local context. 

STRENGTHEN MARKETING WITH F&B BRANDING

We use a 360° approach at TGP International, encompassing the expertise and experience of our diverse teams, from concept development and design to operations and marketing. And when guaranteeing long-term success for the F&B brands we deliver, we advise that there is always a strong element of functionality and flexibility when it comes to the way our projects work for marketing, brand communications and future growth.

In reality, many venues will live or die by how much attention they can generate on social media, and this is a difficult feat without a captivating branding that can create stand-out on digital feeds as well as in the physical world. 

It’s also important that the version of the brand that customers see online aligns with what they’ll find when they walk through the venue’s doors. We’ve seen that guests are increasingly looking for places like our Al Mamalaka Social Dining food hall, which resonates with them on a deeper level and reflects lifestyle aspirations.  

Beyond its physical presence, we knew that the concept must also extend its social aspect into the digital realm, where customers would share their experiences online in real-time through social media platforms.

One element of this is the curation of open kitchen formats that contribute to a feeling of theatre and invite spectatorship. Another element is the sophistication and elegance of the brand itself—a brand that people want to be associated with and show off about on their personal channels.  

This digital interaction would then add another layer to the social dynamic of Al Mamlaka Social Dining, enhancing its connection with customers beyond the physical space.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS

At TGP, I instigated a creative culture that helps establish key milestones in the design programme that can be checked along the way to ensure all our projects are delivered to a world-class standard.

Even before we start thinking about any branding and design, and these days architecture too, we first need to firmly establish the core concept. Our process starts with the understanding of the brief through joint workshops with our clients, the creative team and other stakeholders such as external leasing teams in the case of large master-planning projects. Here we establish the essence of the project, the target customer, its personality, its purpose and the proposition. 

This formulates the overall idea that then becomes the nebulas of the visual narrative. We will then explore how best to activate the concept. This leads to physical design and then on to how we will realise everything in context.

WHY BRAND MATTERS IN F&B

From the vibrant homegrown outlets at Expo City Dubai to the iconic Al Mamlaka Social Dining food hall in Saudi Arabia, our most memorable projects share one crucial element: an integrated creative strategy that brings branding and design together, along with architecture too!

Despite housing 21 distinct outlets, including five led by award-winning chefs and several first-to-market concepts, cohesive branding creates a unified experience. For our team at TGP International, Al Mamlaka Social Dining stands as a testament to how thoughtful design and branding, combined with the great work of our Advisory, Interior Design, Operations and Marketing teams, can elevate an establishment, enhancing guest enjoyment and adding significant value.