Ohio-based Menches Brothers is a family-owned business. Their story began over 130 years ago, in 1885, when Frank and Charles Menches invented the hamburger. Now they delight in sharing the original recipe of the hamburger with their local communities.
Operating on a first-name basis, families visiting their restaurants get a unique insight into their story directly from the CEO and great-grandson of Charles Menches himself, Uncle John – all while experiencing the delicious taste of the original hamburger.
Dani, their Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) realised an opportunity for the Menches Brothers to share their story with the rest of the world. NFTs (non-fungible tokens) would give the wider online community access to their hamburger and at the same time, propel them forward into Web3.
But how could they share their story and hamburger with the global community, while still staying true to the Menches Brothers legacy and the local communities they serve?
In partnership with Metaversal, we set out to build a brand strategy intersecting Web3, their history, and authentic community. This led to the following:
A brand identity that preserves the Menches Brothers story and moves them into a contemporary space.
A collection of lil Mench PFP (picture for proof) NFTs to launch them into Web3.
The lil Mench collection stays true to the Menches Brothers roots as the first-ever original hamburger – in the Metaverse.
“This is a taste of history”
— Dani
“Let’s sell our hamburger and tell our story”
— Uncle John
Strategy
Through a series of interviews and workshops with the family members and owners behind Menches Brothers and the team at Metaversal, we could better understand and define their purpose, values, and the impact they want to achieve.
Defining their purpose was essential to bridging their heritage – the three, family-run, brick and mortar restaurants – and the Menches Brothers expansion into web3. We soon realised they had a rich history, story, and identity. They knew what they wanted and who they were.
“The authenticity, honesty, and clarity that they had made for a very simple strategy, especially with the way our strategy works. We take what's intrinsic and real about your brand and we package it for you.” - Jason
They were clear about who they are, what kind of brand they are, and what they actually offer. To their credit as well, they're happy to keep things simple and fun. - William
With this clarity, we honed in on their purpose to “use the delight of the original hamburger to bring people together”. Paired with their values of authenticity, family, and community, this set clear standards for our design team to begin building the brand identity and lil Mench NFTs.
Design
The 1800s was a transformative time in America with the Industrial Revolution and Civil War. We wanted to pay homage to the time and show the evolution of the company. The Menches Brothers legacy (beginning in 1885) and authenticity were essential for designing the brand and lil Mench NFTs.
To conserve a sense of nostalgia we drew from the circus-style typography and portraiture of that era. You can see this in the logo versions we created – one including illustrated portraitures of Frank and Charles Menches. At the same time, we had to elevate the brand into a contemporary space with a refined feel.
“What makes this project particularly interesting and special is that rich story that they have behind it. They have this long history that reaches back, more than a hundred years.” - William
In keeping with this nostalgic-contemporary feel, the lil Mench NFT design details range from rubber hose animation art style – popularized in America around the early 1900s – down to their specific traits like the style of hats that Frank and Charles Menches wore during that time period.
Each element honours their story, from referencing specific locations to ingredients they use in their menu. These design decisions all nod to the Menches Brothers history, purpose, and values emphasised in our sessions together and used to inform our strategy.
“Even the way they mechanically work is so intrinsically linked to the [Menches brothers] story, that it helped us tell that story through the medium, but also give those tokens some more value.” - William
Impact
The result is a fresh brand identity and collection of lil Mench PFP NFTs. Together, they propel Menches Brothers forward into Web3 and the Metaverse – all while conserving their sense of community and story.
There’s something nice about them as a small business underdog… and the sentiment in Web3 as a whole. It’s meant to be for the little guy… arresting power from the entrenched corporations of the world and giving it back to [the people]. - William
Credit
Project management: Robyn Miguel
Strategy: Jason Tuohy
Creative Direction: William Rech, Shannon Davis
Design: Saffron Shaw, William Rech
Art: William Rech, Muti studio
Copy: Carrie Jo Bonduris
Testimonial
“People at Nicework are incredibly creative and thoughtful in their approach to branding. I would highly recommend you work with the Nicework team to build your brand in web3.
They're not just going to slap a flat logo with fonts and colors on your brand. They're going to create really deep meaning and story and richness into that brand before you see that final product and all of the assets that come with it.”
— Dani, Chief Marketing Officer, Menches Brothers