CITY BARBEQUE  |  keeping it real
all smoke. no mirrors.
all smoke. no mirrors.
Challenge:  City Barbeque was a midwest chain of approximately 20 authentic smokehouse "joints." unfortunately, they were getting outspent by less authentic, QSRs entering their market with similar offerings. The key difference: The City's 'Que was serious business. 

Solution:  Explaining the difference between real and phoney 'Que defined the brand's commitment as well as their uniqueness. The friendly tone and homemade aesthetic kept the brand honest. The "All Smoke. No Mirrors." campaign helped double the City's franchises over the next 3 years.
WEBSITE | CRM | PRINT | OUTDOOR | IN-STORE

Custom "Que" fonts and the use of butcher paper established the brand's look. All communications were designed with a hand-made aesthetic.

Carry-out was dominated by ribs, so custom bags were created around the dangers of "rib-face.”