Raising the bar

Integrated branding agency Ragged Edge has created a brand strategy and identity for new city venue, WE ARE BAR. Owned by bar and restaurant firm Kornicis Group Ltd, the venture aims to put its customers first by meeting the unique needs of urban dwellers.

Launched in central London at the end of September, WE ARE BAR’s brand takes inspiration from the city by taking a bold, energetic and direct approach to engage a constantly out-and-about audience.

Richard Stringer, CEO of Kornicis Group Ltd, says, “We are building a brand to raise the bar for drinking in the city and asked Ragged Edge to help us to define, name, create and build it. In WE ARE BAR, we have collaborated on a fresh and exciting new concept which will be very successful. Ragged Edge guided us through every step of the brand creation process and their strategic, customer-focussed approach made all the difference. The results speak for themselves.”

The bracket device is used throughout the venue and website to communicate inclusiveness while framing a distinctive typographic voice. The primary typeface, Anzeigen Grotesk, presents a no-nonsense, confident approach to amplify the bar’s bold brand identity. Berlingske Serif, a lighter font chosen for its character and legibility in the bar’s low light, is used to complement this.

The interior design includes illustrations for wall posters commissioned from Luis Dourado reflect the brand idea, ‘The Beat of the City,’ while integrating escapist imagery with city photography. Design touchpoints include dark green colours complemented by contemporary gold and light green highlights.

Max Ottignon, co-founder of Ragged Edge, says, “We wanted to put down a marker with a bold, disruptive and memorable name. A statement of intent that would underpin the entire brand. It’s a name that feels inclusive, neighbourly and wholehearted -  a perfect expression of our strategy that set out to give the brand a point of difference rooted in genuine substance. The name also led us to a highly distinctive tone of voice, with copy forming a fundamental part of the identity – a rarity in the category.”

WE ARE BAR intends to expand first in central London before branching out into commuter sites, and will continue to work with Ragged Edge to bring new sites to life.