Food Truck Branding
2010
Client: Maki Taco
Charlotte / North Carolina // USA
Starting in 2011, the mobile food truck market in Charlotte exploded. The city of Charlotte had recently allowed food trucks legal status after a slew of complaints from citizens over the ban of food trucks stemming from a city ordinance passed in the 1990s. An enterprising friend who was starting up a small taco truck business contacted me for guidance with branding. Through a collaborative creative process with my friend and business owner, Grant Luckey, I had all the necessary input for creating the brand MAKI TACO.
Grant was looking for a straightforward approach, clear and direct, that would attract customers while also building the idea of simplicity. It was important to hint to the freshness, quality, and natural nature of the gourmet food being prepared on site. Together we tried many different approaches, chose color combinations that would suggest the goals, and tested different logotypes by use of paper menus and online through social media. It became clear the simplest branding was well received. The next task of creating merchandise in the form of tee shirts fell to me where I worked closely with a local screen printer selecting proper inks and shirts to be used for furthering the brand image.
By Summer 2011, all production had been accomplished and the truck was set to start serving. To this day, the acceptance of the truck, the brand, the people, the food, and the business has been wideswept. Maki Taco is a common sight among the various food trucks serving Charlotte patrons.
Richard South © 2024 — New York City & Phoenix