Carlita’s
tacos, tequila, and whiskey
As an entirely new property, I was invited to build the brand from the ground up. “Think Desperados, Wild West,” they said. “Tacos, tequila, and whiskey.”
In need of a story to build out the new bar, I couldn’t help the rhymes that came to mind.
2017
Branding
Brand STory
Creative Direction, Copywriting
As I developed the brand story, rhymes surfaced naturally, shaping a playful tale around a fictional heroine, Carlita.
“Carlita’s: Where the margaritas make everyone bonitas.”
“Carlita once knew a bad hombre or two. She would pull out her pistol and spin it ’round, and before yer knew it, he was flat on the ground.”
“Señoritas prefer Carlita’s.”
“Muchachos like our tacos.”
“All those señores knew she was mejores — the best in the land, the most courageous of heart and quickest of hand.”
Logo Design
Art Direction, Design, Custom Lettering
With no existing logo, I had the opportunity to design the visual identity from scratch. I seized the chance to create custom lettering.
In need of a secondary logo element, the pistol became a natural accessory in keeping with the brand story.
Signage
Design, Photography
The initial “C” became emblematic on its own, making it the natural choice to have paired with the “Tacos. Tequila. Whiskey.” in vinyl across the three bays of windows along the sidewalk patio.
Menu design
Art Direction, Design, Copywriting
Five clipboard-style pages carried the brand story straight into the dining experience. I layered multiple fonts to capture the spirit of old Wild West posters and added tongue-in-cheek phrases to tie back to the brand story.
“A day is never dour when there’s Happy Hour”
“Tacos: Full as a tick so as not to be too squiffed” and “Muchachos like our tacos”
“Liquidations: Bend an elbow, grease your holler” and “Where the margaritas make everyone bonitas”
“Tequila: How ’bouta sip, just a nip. Trade ya’ a quip, then quit your lip” and “Carlita once knew a bad hombre or two. She would pull out her pistol and spin it ’round, and before yer knew it, he was flat on the ground.”
“Whiskey: It’s high time I down summa that liquid courage brown” and “All those señores knew she was mejores — the best in the land, the most courageous of heart and quickest of hand.”
Postcards
Art Direction, Design
In need of a takeaway, we looked up old time photos from the region and turned them into custom post cards.