Uncle Mario’s Pizzeria

Neighborhood Brand Identity.

A playful, high-visibility visual identity for a classic Hell’s Kitchen pizzeria, designed to break free from the typical “white box, red ink” aesthetic.

Client & Challenge

Client: A speculative rebrand for a dormant neighborhood pizzeria in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC.

The Challenge: Develop a visual strategy that reflected the area’s evolving demographics and captured the pizzeria’s quirky, spirited personality through a memorable identity system

Objectives

Create a distinctive visual identity that stands out on the street
Inject personality into packaging, merchandising, and collateral
Design a scalable system adaptable across multiple touchpoints

Strategy & Process

Explore: Conducted speculative ideation to understand the neighborhood’s visual language and brand tone.
Concept Development: Moved away from the default pizzeria look (“white box + red ink”) to something bold and visible.
Execution: Crafted mockups for packaging, merch, and collateral—bringing identity into the physical world with impact.

Deliverables

Logo & Visual Identity System: Bold visual language built for visibility
Packaging Design: High-contrast mockups that pop on the street
Promotional & Merch Collateral: 3″ pulpboard coasters, stickers, and branded sweatshirts

Outcomes & Impact

Created a memorable, disruptive visual identity that stands out in urban environments
Shifted expectations beyond traditional pizzeria visuals, crafting an identity rooted in creativity and neighborhood energy

Key Takeaways

Strong packaging and collateral visibility can redefine local brand recognition
Bold, character-driven visuals disrupt expectations and create memorable connections
Provisional mockups serve as design proof-of-concept and a production guide