A branding partnership to breathe life into a local community

“A fresh new start”: How BlueMelon branded a Mexican cantina in a sleepy Australian town.

Branding & Brand Communications

CASE STUDY OVERVIEW

Loco Lane, a beachside nook known for its cosy ambience and tasty Mexican food came to BlueMelon soon after opening the new business on the New South Wales south coast for expert branding advice and guidance. We collaborated with Loco Lane on brand and marketing strategy across content, design, copy and web. The initial requirement was to build a brand around their cuisine with the energy and philosophy of a small beach town. The brand needed to be appealing to locals and visitors coming from all parts of the globe. Our process began with a branding workshop and contextual market research of the area’s hospitality and tourism industry. We then developed a brand identity for Loco Lane from interior branding and merchandising to the brand’s social assets and website. Our collaboration resulted in a full brand system which paints Loco Lane as a unique, enduring brand for simple yet well executed Mexican food and drinks, and an iconic Australian coastal dining experience.

THE SITUATION

Attracting customers to a growing new business

The dinner table is a site of celebrations, everyday conversations, and making connections. When BlueMelon was tasked with building brand identity for a hospitality business from scratch, our mouths watered at the novelty of being able to mold a new creative brand. We also know that branding a restaurant means so much more than only thinking about the food. Dining out is an opportunity to make memories. Located around three hours south of Sydney, Culburra Beach is known for its local oyster, fishing, and prawning industries as well as being a slower-paced, surf village which is as unspoilt as it is popular to visit. And in a town with a handful of restaurants, each one counts as a new meeting place to explore. The challenge was to bring a brand to a market not so susceptible to highly stylised products while still being inviting to the local community. A household name in hospitality and local culture.

Storytelling with authenticity and humanity

Located around 3 hours south of Sydney, Culburra Beach is known for its local oyster, fishing, and prawning industries as well as being a slower-paced, surf village. We worked together to help keep Culbarra’s authenticity intact without contaminating it with the big city Sydney energy that can sometimes be intimidating. Given our love for hidden secrets (and Cantinas!), the story we created was human and welcoming. Understated graphics let the visitors know their experience will be casual and catered to the local spirit with minimalist monoline illustrations weaving into the story of a down-to-earth coastal experience. We helped Loco Lane create an authentic voice and brand by using humans in their photography, welcoming new customers into the space. All of which stems from our problem solving process with creativity, invention and heart front and centre. The final design for Loco Lane conveys an encouraging message: come to Culburra, visit our Cantina and have fun with good people in an inviting space.

THE SOLUTION

BlueMelon builds a memorable, approachable brand

From brand positioning to communicating a consistent visual message, it’s important for restaurant owners to approach brand awareness strategically to get more people through the doors. It’s about curating an amazing customer experience at all levels of marketing, from first touchpoint on social media to the in-store visit and first sip of margarita. We knew the Loco Lane owners were offering a real, human experience as two awesome humans launching a new business and it was our challenge as marketing and branding partners to go above and beyond in bringing that to life for customers. From a brand perspective, BlueMelon wanted to involve the founders in telling their Loco Lane story and expressing their vision in a sophisticated, eye-catching, creative way.

The brand workshop – drafting a great customer journey

We got started on the investigation with an in-depth BlueMelon Brand Workshop where Loco Lane brought their local knowledge to the table. It’s always part of our process to immerse and truly understand the needs and vision for the future of each business we work with. Later, we got outside of the office and did local research of the existing competitor market in the town (yes we did try every restaurant in town in the name of market research), as well as user interviews with local residents (aka Loco Lane’s target audience) about their particular needs and expectations.

Our path involved building a cohesive branding system to build brand awareness of Loco Lane. Awareness of the quality of their product and service both locally on-the-ground and online, for a wider audience. To achieve this we curated a brand which was versatile and translated into a standout bricks & mortar customer experience. The outcome was developing brand elements for the business which later translated into identity and application, with social assets, merchandising, and interior branding among other creations branded uniquely for Loco Lane.

THE RESULTS

A memorable brand and customer experience for great Mexican dining

Loco Lane developed from a local seaside Mexican joint into a popular, scenic casual dining spot where locals and tourists know they have to book ahead to get a table. It’s beloved for its tasty Mexican menu, offering of local craft beers and cocktails, and fun decor. In partnership, BlueMelon and Loco Lane successfully communicated the value of the brand and its products across various channels to tell a consistent, meaningful brand story. A slice of Pacific paradise on the beach akin to an authentic Latin cantina. Since the BlueMelon partnership, the business has become an iconic gathering place for Culburra Beach with live music and local events. Loco Lane has become such a local favourite that it even terms its trueset fans “Loco Legends.” Whether customers are making a birthday dinner booking on the website, placing a cool frothy beer on a custom coaster, or ordering tacos to takeaway, they know it’s no other than Loco Lane.

We’re looking to bring other conscious brands to life

Working with Loco Lane was also a win-win for the BlueMelon team as we love to support local, sustainable businesses.

Okay, we’re a bit picky who we work with. We want to contribute to organisations who want to make the world a better place – whether that be in saving the whales, educating future generations, or creating the perfect moment for a family to gather around some sick Mexican food.

If you’re ready to start the conversation on how you can elevate your brand, drop us a line and a friendly Melon will get back to you within 24-48 hours.