Harry Ramsden - Findings

Instead of pointlessly turning my research attention to all types of fish & chip shops, I investigated into high street brands that permeated a sense of luxury into their identities.

After seeing this I was inspired to create my own version of 'newspaper' print, however I'd be making a new approach and applying the idea to food to take out, as oppose to a range in a supermarket.

A bold and classical approach to fish & chips

Instead of focusing on a an image for the logo of this brief, I think it would be a more effective route to use typography as the main feature, as you can see below the subtle edit of the hook among the lettering is enough to give it an identity.

& as you can see from the direction of Harry Ramsdens advertisement below, there is a strong focus on type. 

Menu Findings…

For the development of my menu layout I kept it simple and readable, as you can see from the way I've arranged the text I didn't want it to look tacky or similar to other chips, the reason being, Harry Ramsdens is a very expensive chip shop (compared to the mass amounts). With this in mind the advertising had to represent that to a degree. The above advertisement speaks as if it's trying its hardest to sell, whereas the design below speaks in a more reputable tone with the fish & chip shop identity tied into the colouring and branding.

The slightly off blue boxes behind the titles add a small sense of playfulness to the overall layout, this is because it follows a just two columns.

Background Research

Could the introduction of this brief be related to the company going under new management? Although its only for the sale of one restaurant, its the sale of its pinnacle, its original shop! Therefore the company might of thought about re-invigorating the brand to appeal to a modern audience.

"The world's most famous fish and chip shop re-opens today after a speedy turnaround worthy of its colourful history. Portions of skinless haddock, mushy peas and the rest of it will be served again at Harry Ramsden's in Guiseley which closed less than six months ago.

Around £500,000 has been invested in restoring the splendour of the diner at the junction of the roads to the Yorkshire Dales from Leeds and Bradford, a canny site which made the fortune of the original Harry whose first, takeaway-serving hut is still part of the set-up. The restaurant's last owners, the Birmingham-based Boparan Ventures group, have kept other parts of the franchised Ramsden chain but couldn't make a go of White Cross and its 24 staff."

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/may/22/harry-ramsdens-white-cross-guiseley-fish-and-chips

To strengthen my knowledge of Fish & Chips, I looked at a range of fish & chip shop interiors, giving me an idea of the degree to which the interiors are permeated with their identity. Type appears to be quite a consistent factor, from blackboard designs through to the walls. Colours are usually mixtures of blues, silvers, whites, reds and blacks.

As rebranding Harry Ramsden's will not only consist of print based products, I wanted to look at a range of fish and chip shop interiors, to see how a visual identity works within interiors, exteriors and different environments. Colour, type and image evidently create really strong visual identities, that then go to work alongside products such as menus and packaging. Type appears to be extremely important, as it is a way of creating a tone of voice for the brand within a space, whilst colour keeps the aesthetics consistent.

Harry Ramsden's want to create excitement and also represent their heritage. The strongest factor to this brief is making sure you don't steer to far away from Harry Ramsdens history, because its their reputation thats built the company identity overall.