OMG is a created in a group of four. I was mainly responsible for strategy, marketing and created the social media designs and teaser designs.

BRIEF

To create a brand that will change consumer perception regarding entomophagy, the practice of eating insects.

BACKGROUND

We have done profound market research and filtered key aspects, that support eating insects for the future:

1. Growing demands of food due to growing population
2. Sustainability aspect:meat produced causes problematic effects on the environment such as GHG and ammonia emmisions, land and water usage
3. Nutritional benefits

From talking to potential consumers we could identify their problems regarding the topic:

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SOLUTION

OHMYGRUB is a restaurant brand that focuses on providing insect based and organic food to families in an environment that is interactive and innovative while being educational. The practice of eating insects should be considered normalcy rather than abnormality. The restaurant will serve organic, tasty and high quality dishes and values consumer satisfaction and loyalty. The restaurant is situated in Convent Garden, London.

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Insect product benefits:

1. Nutritional values: Insects are a high protein source, they contain all essential mineral and amino acids. Crickets, ants and mealworms are chosen because of their benefits and sourcing options.
2. Versatility: The insects can be used whole or as flour in different types of products such as bars or doughs. There is also the possibility of extracting certain minerals, vitamins or proteins and using the extracts.
3. Sustainability: insects use significantly less land, water and feed, they emit relatively few GHG and ammonia compared to raising animals. We have chosen to source organically and from manufacturers that feed with organic side streams, to keep the product cycle as sustainable as possible.

THE BRAND

The brand characteristics and tone is based on three key factors:

1. FUN: We decided to show the insects as characters but asa playful and colorful illustrations.
2. FAMILIAR: They are drawn in a way characters in children's books are, they appeal to children and create a cozy, familiar mood.
3. UNIQUE: The brand and restaurant design creates a memorable, immersive and special experience that will be rembered.

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The name of the restaurant came together by changing the often natural reaction to seeing insects "OH MY GOD!" - to "OH MY GRUB!", OMG is the abbreviation. We want to play with the emotions connected with inscects. We have crafted the logo from the insect shapes.

OMG uses storytelling to communicate information and messages to the target audience. Three characters have been created, emphasizing on the emotional factor, those characters are each responsible for one aspect of our story, communicating it in the restaurant, via social media and the installations. Olly is the cook, explaining how ingredients come together, Morris explains the sustainability and health aspects of substituting common animal meat with insects, Gilli shares information about the farming process and shows the organic, controlled UK farms to change the picture in peoples mind

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MARKETING STRATEGY & COMMUNICATION

TEASER CAMPAIGN

The restaurant launch starts off with a teaser campaign, to grab potential customer's attention and raise interest and curiosity. The restaurant will be covered in the brand colors, doodles, motives and teaser posts will be distributed via social media, targeting parents.

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ON-SITE

OMG focuses on the characters as storytellers, they are in the center of all decoration, graphics and branding used.

We have come up with  interactive and immersive installations that are entertaining while being educational, so families gain value on their day out, while  enjoying tasty meals.

The menu is interactive and was created using child cognitive ergonomics so it fits the target market and can be easily operated. It focuses on our signature, insect based dishes, but OMG also does offer common dishes, so people can ease into eating insects and people who don't want to try it just now don't feel excluded.

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The tables will have a QR code, that the consumers scan to reveal and augmented reality artifact, which will be edutainment for the children. It is used to sensitize children to the edible insects. It could for example feature  the characters, explaining their stories.

DIGITAL MARKETING

The digital marketing focuses on Instagram (targeting parents and other family members) and the OMG website.

The OMG social media strategy focuses on "3 Fs": Food, Facts and Fun, promoting signature and seasonal dishes, promote the educational aspects or our stories and the fun experience. The audience is engaged by regular raffles and competitions, giving away vouchers.

FURTHER CAMPAIGNS & PROMOTIONS

We are more than a restaurant, we think further. OMG customers are seen as part of the OMG family, they can use the interactive menu to join our "grub club" offering specials like reductions on our well-loved birthday parties and cooking classes. A food truck allows OMG to be flexible regarding our position, broadens our reach and will lead customers from all over London to our base in Convent Garden. Press and influencers are also covered and touched multiply times.

IN THE LONGTERM

Longterm we can see OMG franchise, selling the food products to go, as ingredients or in retail. We plan on using the characters as well for example as "stuffed insects", buttons or other fitting products.

SUMMARY

OMG tackels growing concern such as food shortage and sustainability, changes the stigma around eating insects in a fun, educational and tasty way. It targets families and the youngest members of our society, to change perception from a young age, as have been we growing up learning that insects "are disgusting and bad for us" - not anymore.

The organic, London-based family restaurant OMG is here to stay.

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This brand is fictional and was created as a group project of the Master's course "Digital Design & Branding" at Brunel University London.