Rushton-Smith

Playful branding for fast-casual restaurant Estella Tacos Y Mezcal helped it stand out and achieve full capacity in a saturated market. This project received a gold certificate for Integrated Branding from the American Advertising Awards in Silicon Valley. 

The Brief

Estella Tacos Y Mezcal is a restaurant specialising in gourmet farm-to-tacos. It was originally destined to be the hotel restaurant for its sister business, The Jesse. The former is a six-room boutique hotel and bar located on the same property in the growing Reno Brewery District in Reno, Nevada.

However, my research revealed that branding the two venues to appeal to two different customer bases would be better for business. Estella needed a playful and lively identity to match its cuisine.

The Answer

An electrifying neon yellow falling star forms the apex of the letter ‘A’ in Estella. It brings energy as it shoots across the menu. It forms part of a meteor shower when it needs to pack a punch. Overlaid across a muted palette, it’s vivid, modern and playful without being overdone. 

The brand’s iconic meteor element is inspired by the brand name ‘Estella’, which means ‘star’. It’s finished onto a muted textured photocopy, emulating the depth of stars cutting through the night sky, creating powerful simplicity and versatility.

The design also reflects the restaurant’s energy, pace, and vibrancy of the cuisine and the dynamic agave-specific bar. The vivid flash of colour displayed over a muted palette is similar to Estella’s tacos, made with bright toppings and pops of colour over a neutral base.

The Outcome

Giving Estella its own identity has broadened its appeal to a wider audience, enabling it to thrive in the saturated Reno market.  

I was awarded a gold certificate for Integrated Branding from the American Adverting Awards in Silicon Valley. Estella receives ongoing recognition, resulting in full capacity and ability to weather the pandemic.