Launching a local institution for all seasons.
We were approached by hotelier and restauranteur Lee Gamble and his business partner and world-class surfer Adam Griffiths who were looking for help launching a surfing inspired bar on the historic Great Western Beach in Newquay, Cornwall. They were looking for us to build them an iconic brand that would honour Great Western’s heritage and attract surf fans new and old alike.
The Challenge
Firstly, attract people to Great Western Beach despite it being one of the smaller beaches in the area compared to Fistral and Watergate Bay.
Secondly, craft an authentic surf-inspired brand that would be embraced by locals and honoured the history of GWB - Britain’s first surfing beach, so that it would become popular with die-hard surfers and not just seasonal surf fans from up country, thus extending the season beyond only the school holidays.
The Solution
We spent time talking with Lee, Adam and surf historian Roger Mansfield. During these meetings we learned about the rich history of Great Western Beach and it’s surf heritage. This gave us valuable insight into not only colours, textures and typography of that era, but also the spirit of the time, but also the camaraderie among the surfers of the 60s.
What struck us was the beauty of the location, not just the waves and sunshine, but the all the textures - the paint, woodgrain, the history. To try and capture this and pay homage to the GWB heritage, we set about crafting the logo by hand. Something that felt relaxed and was a throwback to those golden days.
Activation
We digitised the sketches and then added a weathered texture to replicate those we had fallen in love with during our time spent ‘researching’ the waves, how long it takes to get a tan and the softness of the sand.
Testimonial
