NINE GROUP

From raw space to raw bar. Envisioning the dream.

You have a foggy idea, a possible name, a raw warehouse space and some floor plans. How can you develop marketing materials convincing enough to prove that it’s a solid idea? How can you turn your dream into a reality?

Overview

Two friends, who had known each other since they were nine years old, decided to join forces. They wanted to create a new high-end restaurant that transforms into a nightclub. A place where people went “dressed to the nines,” to see and be seen. They needed someone to help them visualize and give shape to their idea, and create an identity. So they called Taylor Bruce.

The Idea

We walked through the empty warehouse with them, listening as they threw out some ideas they had bouncing around in their heads… “this is where we’ll we’ll blow a hole through the roof and underneath it we’ll have a round bar with an ice ring all around for drinks and oysters”…”upstairs we’ll have the super-exclusive, invitation-only, VIP club within the club.

What We Didn’t Know

We spent the next two weeks pouring out ideas all surrounding the number 9. They spent the next two weeks thinking about alternate names. They had serious doubts about whether NINE would work; they just weren’t sold on the name. When we came to the next meeting to present our ideas, their intention was to tell us to think of a new name and start over. Then they saw our presentation.

What They Didn’t Know

They simply asked us for a logo. What we gave them was a book. A book of design explorations from every possible angle; from NINE to 9 and everything in between. A study with a depth and breadth of ideas they weren’t expecting.

Not only did they decide to keep the name, they couldn’t’ decide on just one and actually chose to develop several different identities: one for NINE the corporation, one for 9 Steakhouse, and we also developed one for the exclusive VIP club, Ghostbar.

They also utilized the design studies to set the tone for the interior design of the environments. The restaurant’s circular ice bar was designed to mimic the logo that was created precisely with it in mind, parts of the logos became sculptural elements of the architecture and custom-made furniture and fixtures, patterns of the logos became wallpaper, and they took off running with merchandising items.

The Happy Ending

9 Steakhouse was named one of the best new restaurants of 2001 by Condé Nast Traveler, and Ghostbar was a huge success. The comprehensive branding programs extended to laser cut notecards for use by bar patrons, glowing drink menus for Ghostbar, matchbooks, hats and a myriad of merchandised items available for purchase.

And after the success of this first venture, we partnered with these two friends on developing identities for numerous other joint ventures in the hospitality industry.