Hospitality brand TGIF – now named Fridays – launches a fun and colourful redesign

Initially founded in 1965 on the corner of 63rd and 1st in New York, TGIF (now named Fridays) has over the decades grown into one of the world’s most recognisable hospitality brands. It is currently under new ownership and, over the past six months, has been working alongside branding agency SomeOne to launch a comprehensive new visual identity.

Now in completion, the new Fridays aesthetic sees a rethink of the entire strategy, both for online and in real-life scenarios. Navigating around its ethos of The Fridays Feeling, the team wanted to head back to their roots of fun and entertainment. “Our vision is to make Fridays famous again, so we needed to breathe fresh life into the brand by relevantly leveraging the past,” says Fridays CEO Robery B Cook in an announcement. “The Fridays Feeling is the inspiration for our new food and drink menus and a service plan designed to consistently deliver the best guest experiences and a generosity of spirit.”

Alongside a title upgrade to something “shorter, sharper and more contemporary”, as Gary Holt, founder of SomeOne puts it in a statement, the redesign comes with a new logo inspired by the iconic original signage. Being recognisable was imperative with the launch, so the brand turned back to its heritage for inspiration – that being the 1965 bar in New York, where vertical stripes took centre stage. The team was concerned that this aesthetic would seem outdated in a modern context, so decided to create a more flexible approach filled with a humorous tone of voice.

“While we focused on developing a watertight operating system, it was important than we didn’t lose sight of the character synonymous to Fridays,” says Cosmo Jameson, design director at SomeOne. “So we have made sure to deliver a touch of frivolity on all design materials and instil that as part of the brand’s DNA. Whether it be playful copy, cheeky icons or illustration.”

Photography, simple packaging and promotion materials are also key players in the new identity. This includes added saturation to make the food and drink look more appetising, as well as the use of hands in certain imagery. Karina Stolf, designer at SomeOne, explains in the release: “We shot stills and videos to bring the food to life – swirling Espresso Martinis, gently falling mint leaves and a deluge of fries. It all evokes the tone and theatre of the Fridays experience.”

Dan Staples, CMO of Fridays, comments: “Consumer insight has directly informed the brand relaunch for Fridays. It confirmed that there was a need for investment in the quality of food, the relevance of the cocktails and simplification of the serve plan. We need a coherent brand identity that supports reconsideration and helps make us famous again.”