George Lopez Chingon Kitchen – Branding a dream
Chingon is Mexican slang for badass….and with his Grammy-nominated comedy albums, standup tours, TV show, book, movies, awards and influence, comedian George Lopez is El Mas Chingon!
As an American comedian, actor and talk show host, Lopez started from humble beginnings. Raised by grandparents from a young age, Lopez turned childhood hardships into relatable material that focused primarily on the Mexican experience in America.
In 2002, Lopez became one of the few Latinos to star in a television comedy series, following in the footsteps of Freddie Prinze and Desi Arnaz. By 2005, Lopez was named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America by Time magazine. That same year, George received a kidney transplant, and is one of the spokespersons for the National Kidney Foundation.
As a high achiever, George was continually on the hunt for the next big challenge. It was always a dream of his to open a restaurant, a place where families could gather and celebrate over Mexican cuisine. When the opportunity to partner with San Manuel presented itself, George knew he found a winner. The feeling and vibe at San Manuel Casino, just 60 minutes outside Los Angeles, is “all thrill.” From these humble beginnings, George Lopez Chingon Kitchen was born.
From world-class gaming to free live entertainment, San Manuel is also home to one of our favorite clients, Rock & Brews. When we were asked to get involved at the ground level, while the restaurant was still in its conceptual stage, we knew we were the right agency to help build a strong restaurant brand.
Our designs were inspired by George’s love for, and dedication to, his Latin heritage. “It is no secret that I am true to my Mexican roots, and I love great Mexican food,” said Lopez. “It has been a dream of mine for many years to open a restaurant, but it had to be a chill kind of place with great food, made to order, in a bitchin’ environment that celebrates my heritage.” We kept that in mind through every creative step of the project.
Our work started with mood boards. We searched for the look and feel of authentic Mexican cantinas. Warm woods, distressed metals and colorful murals inspired our color palette which consisted of rusty reds, golden yellows, and charcoal grays and flat black.
Next came the development of the imagery. We worked with our talented illustrators to create the “characters” that adorn the metal food tray liners, as well as, the walls in the restaurant. These images were chosen for their roots in Mexican heritage. Including Emiliano Zapata Salazar, who was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution and Frida Kahlo de Rivera, the iconic Mexican portrait artist. These, along with the Luchador, Loteria cards, and images of Dia de los Muertos help to tell the authentic story.
Our favorite part of the project was the creation of the menus. We designed the large overhead menu boards, as well as, the food and Tequila Lounge menus to resemble hand-drawn chalk boards. The use of multiple fonts along with lots of graphic icons gave the menus a casual feel, while always keeping in mind readability, and ease of ordering for the guest.
The complete branding package included:
- Logo Design
- Food and Tequila Lounge Menus
- Interior Signage
- Branded Paper Products – tray liner, coasters, cups and bags
- Hand illustrated and Hand Painted Promotional Loteria Cards
- Staff Uniform Design
- Wall Art
- Promotional Video Art Direction
We were honored to be part of the team that made George’s dream a reality. Despite hardships and health challenges, Lopez is the embodiment of the American Dream. And you can’t get more badass than that!
