Brand Evolution for Chasin’ Tails
Chasin’ Tails wasn’t just another Cajun seafood shack—it brought Vietnamese heritage, poker swagger, and a whole lot of flavor to the boil. But after nearly a decade of growth, its brand felt stuck between cartoon crawfish kitsch and poker-chip pastiche. The team needed a bold, elevated identity that could fully own their unique positioning: seafood built for indulgence, Instagram, and all-out celebration. We were brought in to craft the strategy, story, and design system that would let Chasin’ Tails step into its next era.
Year
Client
Client Type
Location(s)
Team
Services
2021
Happy Hospitality
FSR - Full Service Restaurant, Casual Dining, Seafood
Arlington, VA
Aaron Tovi - ACD, Natalie Suarez - Senior Designer, Lauren Farmer - Senior Designer, Rachita Vasandani, Copywriter
Brand Strategy, Narrative, Identity Design, Menu Systems, Uniforming, Interior Design, Wayfinding/Signage, Environments, Packaging, Brand Activation, Campaign Creative, Web Development
Shifting the brand Strategy
Chasin’ Tails had carved out a niche in Northern Virginia’s seafood scene with its Cajun-meets-Vietnamese flavor mashup and laid-back, messy-boil dining style. But as the brand matured, its identity lagged behind. The original branding leaned on cartoon crawfish and campy visuals that no longer reflected the brand’s ambition—or the elevated, share-worthy experience guests were actually having. A later attempt to “class it up” with a poker-chip-inspired seal veered too far into seriousness, stripping the brand of its energy and charm.
Internally, multiple stakeholders brought strong but divergent perspectives, making it difficult to define a unified vision. The tone of voice leaned heavily into outdated innuendo, turning off some Patrons and confusing others. Meanwhile, menus, signage, and web presence lacked the sophistication and intentionality needed to compete in a saturated market. To evolve, Chasin’ Tails needed more than just a facelift—it needed a strategic and expressive identity system that could capture hearts, clicks, and cravings.
The brand lacked a cohesive identity—torn between campy visuals and a half-hearted upscale pivot.
Verbal tone was heavy on sexual innuendo but light on intentionality.
Menus and touchpoints didn’t reflect the brand’s potential for premium, social-driven experiences.
Internal alignment was tough with multiple stakeholders bringing different visions to the table.
The parent brand (Happy Endings Hospitality) needed brand clarity across its portfolio.
Energetic
Alluring
Awesome
Preexisting Brand
Restaurant Brand Strategy & Patron Insights
We started with a series of deep-dive workshops to align internal stakeholders and crack open the real story behind the brand. Our research zeroed in on a core audience we named Good Getters: social, outgoing, and hungry for new experiences worth sharing online. These Patrons weren’t just chasing flavors—they were chasing moments.
Rooted in the Hedonist archetype (a branch of the Lover family), Chasin’ Tails embraced a strategy centered around indulgence, vibrancy, and joy. Its brand Purpose?
Revel in a seafood messterpiece fit for royalty.
This strategy informed everything—personality traits, tone, aesthetics, and guest experience touchpoints—guiding the shift from “just another seafood place” to an elevated, unforgettable seafood social.
Restaurant verbal Identity
We threw out the dated descriptor “Cajun Seafood” and gave the brand a new category to own: Seafood Social. It framed the concept as a place for gathering, sharing, and celebration.
The tone of voice evolved to be cheeky yet elevated—still fun, but with smarter, on-trend wit.
The loyalty program became The Mile High Club
“Sides” turned into Side Pieces
Drinks? Thirst Traps, naturally.
The verbal system was built to flex across menus, merch, campaigns, and digital without losing personality—or crossing the line.
Restaurant visual identity
Two previous identities had missed the mark: one cartoonish and dated, the other overly stiff and nautical. We built a third option: bold, beautiful, and totally ownable.
A custom logotype with flowing letterforms hinted at noodles, octopus arms, and luxury all at once.
Iconography pulled from classic playing cards, giving nods to the brand’s poker roots.
A lush, intricate pattern system tied the seafood-meets-royalty theme together.
Strong sans-serif typography layered in confidence and contrast.
The result was an identity that could flex upscale while still feeling electric, indulgent, and full of life.
Restaurant MENU systems Design
The old photo-heavy menus didn’t match the elevated vibe. We redesigned the system to support both form and function:
Menus were housed in fluorescent acrylic holders that refracted light—practical and striking.
Smart layouts pushed profitable menu items into prime positions.
The design played off the new brand system, reinforcing the identity at every table touchpoint.
Restaurant Packaging Suite Design
The packaging system for Chasin’ Tails was designed to carry the brand’s bold, cheeky, and indulgent personality all the way home. We developed a suite of to-go materials that stood out in the crowded world of brown paper bags and generic takeout boxes. The goal: create packaging that felt as vibrant and social as the in-store experience—something people would want to post before they even opened it.
The main takeout bags feature the custom logotype and brand mantra, flanked by a clean layout that allows the bold typography to breathe. Supporting boxes and side containers are wrapped in deep navy and accented with bright pops of fluorescent yellow and red, echoing the brand’s rich visual palette.
The true showstopper? The custom illustrations of a seafood-inspired royal court—playful nods to the poker world that lend the packaging an unmistakable sense of character and storytelling. From lobster claws to crab legs, every detail was crafted to feel regal and ridiculous in the best possible way.
Together, the packaging suite reinforces the Chasin’ Tails ethos: this isn’t just takeout—it’s a messterpiece worth reveling in.
Restaurant interior Design
While we weren’t executing the full interior buildout, we played a lead role in defining the creative direction for both the space and its signage system. Working closely with the architectural team, we ensured that every environmental touchpoint reinforced the new brand strategy. We introduced the idea of moody base tones—deep navies and blacks—that would allow the brand’s fluorescent palette to glow and pop in contrast. Brand patterning became a hero element, designed to be used on wallpaper, banquettes, and wall installations in a way that felt artful rather than themed.
For signage, we pushed for a mix of polished metals and acrylics that could reflect light and energy, echoing the brand’s indulgent and social spirit. The entrance marquee, restroom signage, and directional wayfinding were all art-directed to be bold, a little cheeky, and unmistakably Chasin’ Tails. Typography was scaled large. Moments of surprise—like custom illustrations of royal crustaceans—turned utilitarian signage into brand-building experiences.
Project Recap
Chasin’ Tails emerged with a bold, ownable brand that turned seafood into a high-energy, no-limits celebration. Elevated but not uptight. Social, sexy, and built to scale.
“[They] captured the heart of my family and this brand that we have built for over a century. We look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come with a brand we love and believe in.”