The iconography of America is some of the world/u2019s strongest and central to the popularity of Yankee Doodle Dandy/u2019s /u2013 a food truck known across NYC for its patriotic visuals and delicious chicken tenders. But that same All-American branding is also complicated by the recent increase in political divisiveness, damaging America/u2019s once inspiring message. Hoping to evolve its brand while not losing sight of its uniquely American, fun-loving voice, Yankee Doodle Dandy/u2019s turned to brand and design studio CONTINO /u2013 collaborating to conceptualize the chicken brand/u2019s first restaurant.

A longtime partner for CONTINO, restaurant owner Josh Gatewood worked with the studio for his food truck design in 2016. The impact of those first designs was immediate, helping Yankee Doodle Dandy triple its business and add three trucks to service all of New York City. Eventually, Gatewood started looking for ways to expand his brand by leaping to brick and mortar. But with that expansion came the need for a new brand.

/u201cThe initial idea was just to apply the food truck designs to the new location, but that swiftly turned into a wider brand refresh,/u201d explains CONTINO Founder and CCO Jon Contino. /u201cThe original truck wrap design was very gritty and illustrative, and it didn/u2019t feel right, especially not if we wanted Yankee Doodle Dandy/u2019s to compete with similar businesses. To grow the brand and give it legs for the future, we needed to simplify and allow the product to take center stage./u201d

Yankee Doodle Dandy/u2019s signature creative voice also presented a challenge against the current cultural and political landscape. Defined by a kitschy, throwback, Americana style /u2013 a tone originally meant to evoke a sense of community and fun /u2013 the brand designs suddenly became recontextualized unexpectedly. /u201cWhile the country continued to divide itself over serious issues, something as simple as the American flag became a divisive icon/u2014so much so that we considered changing the name and the aesthetic of the brand entirely,/u201d admits Contino. /u201cBut the brand had built so much equity over the years that it was impossible. Instead, we decided to fully embrace its quirkiness and the universally celebrated aspects of the American brand meant to unify, not divide./u201c

The result was a logo, illustration, and icon refresh, including chicken mascot General George Cluckington. Plus, its new packaging and collateral designs /u2013 tissue paper, take-out boxes, cups, and more /u2013 feature simplified linework, bolder color, and clean block print for increased legibility. CONTINO also helped design a look for the space itself - signage, murals, and overall customer experience. /u201cThey need to stand out was a big factor in how we conceptualized the space with huge lighted signage, uninterrupted glass windows and added a canopy of twinkling lights on the restaurant/u2019s entire ceiling,/u201d says Contino. /u201cWe wanted to bring that backyard BBQ, food truck community vibe to the space, making sure everyone felt welcome while still giving customers a bit of an elevated experience. And because of the pandemic, we also allowed for social distancing and a frictionless experience that let customers move in and out pretty freely./u201d

The new branding removes itself from any potential political conversation while creating something fun, memorable, and still decidedly American. /u201cThis project shows how flexible CONTINO can be in a mainstream market, designing everything from top to bottom /u2013 interiors, signage, package design, animation, and branding,/u201d adds Contino. /u201cFor my whole career, I/u2019ve connected to the rebellious American spirit. I/u2019ve tried to stay outside the lines and play by my own rules. I/u2019m thankful that we/u2019re consistently working with clients like Yankee Doodle Dandy/u2019s who appreciate our voice and let us explore our wild tendencies./u201d