The Galley Lounge

After receiving a Gold American Advertising Award for helping Fresh Catch Poke Company successfully launch their first location in the suburbs of Buffalo (which also happened to be the first poke restaurant of any kind in the greater WNY area), the Mr. Smith team didn’t have much time to rest. They wanted to seize the momentum and push forward with their second location in the heart of downtown as an anchor tenant in a newly built mixed-use development that also features a national hotel chain and the highest rooftop bar in the city. But that would have been too easy, so they added an additional challenge: they wanted to simultaneously launch a bar concept that piggybacked off of Fresh Catch’s well-earned reputation for providing an immersive experience focused on ingredient quality.

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Rather than starting from scratch, the Mr. Smith team took a step back and gathered inspiration for The Galley from existing brand elements of Fresh Catch to help ensure a cohesive presentation and eliminate any potential friction for uneducated consumers. Our main focus was on giving The Galley its own identity within the new Fresh Catch space but not overpowering the already established design ethos. To accomplish this, we combined large, eye-catching efforts (murals, signage) with more subtle flourishes (menus, social media messaging) to encapsulate the spirit of The Galley and prove its worthiness as a companion to the quickly-beloved Fresh Catch.

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Mr. Smith was chosen as agency partner responsible for Brand Identity, Art Direction, Menu/Stationery Design, and Interior Branded Elements.

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