In 2015 I worked with the Cafeo Hospitality Group on a brand update of their successful Incline Public House restaurant.
Initial Designs and Inspiration
The Incline Public House is located on the site of Cincinnati’s Price(‘s) Hill incline railroad depot, where streetcars would be raised over 350 feet up the hillside on a funicular. I created a “Cincinnati Inclines” art print as part of my Heritage Collection of limited edition art prints which caught the eye of proprietor Tony Cafeo. Since the restaurant is a public house, we decided this heritage style with custom vintage lettering would compliment the concept:
Brand Guidelines
I developed a brand guidelines document where I mapped out branding usage across promotional materials, advertising, signage, apparel, menus and drink ware.
I also wrote the tagline “Above the Ordinary” to capture the benefit of their location and the quality of their food as diners seek their restaurant for it’s contemporary American comfort cuisine and its amazing view of Downtown Cincinnati.
Menus
In 2015 I applied the guidelines and brand type choices to menus developed for each service, along with a drinks menu. I formatted different sizes for ease of recognition and organization with front-of-house staff.
Custom Sign
Cafeo Hospitality Group were already collectors of fellow Cincinnati artists Justin and Brittany of Oberaw Industries. I created a design that would be impactful for diners as they approach the restaurant with the scenic view of Cincinnati behind.
Sign fabrication by Oberaw Industries
Logo Adoption
It’s been great to see the Incline Public House team use the logo in ways that bring the brand to life for their patrons:
