José Andrés Group
Celebrity Chef José Andrés is widely recognized not only for his remarkable culinary prowess but also for his tireless humanitarian efforts with World Central Kitchen, which at the time was dedicated to providing meals in the wake of disasters. Independently of this, his portfolio of rapidly expanding restaurants under the parent company of Think Food Group achieved considerable success.
I recognized a subtle yet significant disconnect between José and the expansive culinary empire he had tirelessly worked to build. This observation prompted me to seize a valuable opportunity to forge a stronger connection by proposing a comprehensive rebranding of the company, one that would prominently incorporate the José Andrés name. Through this endeavor of transforming the corporate identity into the José Andrés Group, we established a direct and meaningful correlation between José Andrés, his numerous acclaimed restaurants, and his extraordinary charitable initiatives.
In doing so, we fulfilled his inspiring vision of “Changing The World Through The Power of Food.” Moreover, this master brand strategy effectively enabled us to cultivate a sense of cohesiveness among the various subsidiaries; the other divisions of the company now all benefit from and leverage the established José Andrés brand name, creating a unified identity that resonates with clients and partners alike.
Old Brand
Old branding where the José Andrés brand name was almost secondary and rarely used in any messaging.
New Brand
New branding where the José Andrés brand is front and center.
BACKGROUND
Think Food Group was conceived in 2006 and has experienced remarkable growth and expansion since the company’s inception. However, as new entities and divisions were systematically spun off and marketed to various audiences, I recognized that there was a significant disconnect in the brand identity and communication strategies employed.
MY ROLE
I approached leadership with what some might consider an ‘outrageous idea’—the bold proposition to rebrand the corporate entity from Think Food Group to one that would strategically leverage the widely recognized José Andrés name. Thus, the José Andrés Group was effectively born. I deemed it particularly appropriate to implement a comprehensive master brand strategy that would include each of the individual restaurants and brands, along with both endemic and non-endemic divisions, thereby supporting and reinforcing the overarching José Andrés master brand.
Thus, I sought to:
Embrace a holistic approach to doing business, which would be encapsulated in this master brand strategy.
Integrate the various corporate entities under this cohesive master brand strategy, with the José Andrés Group positioned as the ‘top of the food chain.’
Create a sense of cohesiveness among the subsidiaries and other divisions of the company that effectively leverage the esteemed José Andrés name.
This deliberate rebranding initiative ultimately created an integrated platform that would pave the way for further corporate success and recognition in the industry.