Chilango

Back in 2006 Eric Partaker and Dan Houghton trialed a new 'fast-and-fresh' Mexican restaurant concept in Islington London called Mucho Mas. The concept was as popular as it was simple allowing customers to build their own gourmet burritos, tacos, and salads from a selection of freshly prepared ingredients.

The Brief:

With the favourable reception of the first restaurant the young entrepreneurs and their investors were keen to start realising the full potential of the business by outlining a very ambitious growth plan of up to 500 fast food outlets across the UK. 'i-am' were asked to develop a new strategic brand positioning that would best express their essence, vision and new found confidence together with a scaleable creative solution that could deliver on their ambitions.

The Solution:

'i-am' worked together with the Chilango founders on every aspect of their venture. First capturing the brand's Latin spirit in a cheeky new name customers could more readily engage with. Then proposing a new interior concept that was fast, vibrant and energising. Chilango, a slang term used to describe someone from Mexico City, perfectly captures the essence of modern Mexico and gives it a twist of fast urban cool. Vibrant colour, a sense of fun and a sprinkling of Latino lust for life became the new recipe for success.

The Result:

'We're absolutely thrilled with the work 'i-am' have done. They not only succeeded in helping us understand, formulate, and express what was within us, but also created something that truly connects with and engages our guests - something that injects vibrant Mexican spirit into the heart of London. As for the numbers? Well, Chilango opened up at 7x the volume of its predecessor, Mucho Mas. Need I say more.'