Work
Naya – Brand Strategy And Identity Revamp For Levantine QSR Chain In New York
The Brief
Naya New York came to us wanting to revamp their fast casual Levantine concept. This was especially challenging since Middle Eastern food has become a worldwide sensation with tons of competitors on the playing field, in addition to the healthy and green “on the go” counter restaurants becoming a huge trend in the USA. This said, Naya was already well-known, but the brand image was inconsistent as it came across as traditional Middle Eastern at times and healthy light bite at others.
The Solution
To immerse ourselves in thorough market research and develop a better understanding of market trends, we went to New York. A key observation was the degree to which technology has become part of restaurants’ layouts thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) with orders and payments happening online and people picking up their food without passing by the cashier. This gave us insight into our target audience and how we need to position the brand.
Diving into the brand strategy, we examined all the elements that make up the brand environment and created a physical moodboard at our prototyping workshop with paint colors, plants, lighting and motifs from the Levant that helped the client decide on the direction and mood for the brand. We then worked closely with their interior architect to develop the environmental branding of the new branch that was to open on Madison Avenue.
The Result
We successfully created a bold international brand that is consistent across branches and communication channels. In fact the brand is thriving in New York’s unique context and boasts large franchise potential. On the opening day of the Madison Avenue branch, the crowd queued for hours to get their hands on the goodness, showing how Naya New York is a delicious winner.
