The Fish Guy | Hospitality Rebrand
The freshest catch? We know a guy.
The Fish Guy has been a Chicago fish market for over 30 years—trusted by some of the city’s best restaurateurs. But after that much time, it’s easy for things to slip. Freshness fades. Branding gets forgotten.
With new ownership came a clear mission: throw out what wasn’t working, invest in what mattered. The question was—what parts of the old identity were worth keeping?
After plenty of conversation, we landed here: keep the essence of the story, reinvent everything else for the future. That started with a new look, rooted in the building’s history and the original sign—bold type, a marlin, and an old-Chicago vibe.
The new brand identity communicates the new vision for the company: a commitment to delivering fish that’s fresher, more sustainabe, and simply better than before – with the right people in serving you everyday.
The Fish Guy is now fishier than ever—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
-
Positioning
Branding
Tone of Voice
Copywriting
Signage Design
Website Design (front end)
Social Media
Photography Art Direction
Staff Fit
Collateral
-
Refresh the brand identity so that it’s approachable to the neighborhood yet premium enough for high end chefs. Nodding to the history of the shop while treading new waters.
-
The team was craving something fresh and familiar, but worried about over-designing and falling into trends. We explored handmade, artistic and old school approaches until finding the right balance of the three. The Fish Guy identity refresh has a buoyant voice, strong sense of self and presence, without trying too hard.
-
Coming Soon
-
Creative Direction - Allison Rosenwinkel
Design & Illustration - Sarah Hinman
Photography - Lucy Hewett
Web Development - Week of the Website
Sign Painting - Stephen Monkemeier
“We wanted the Fish Guy to feel like someone you’d want to hang out with and can count on.”
— Sarah Hinman, Designer & Illustrator
Juxtoposing jovial graphics with crisp, premium photography to reel people in
