If your branding strategy is to stay stuck in the past, you won’t last forever, even if you represent an old, established and appreciated way of doing things. Old Chicago, a pizza franchise in 22 states, has been around for 37 years and they were at one time a flagship brand for the fresh-pizza-joint market and they’ve always touted their expansive beer menu of over 110 selections. When their brand outlook ran its course, Push rebranded nearly everything about Old Chicago, except for the great pizza. First, they changed the name to include “Pizza and Taproom” to give it a feeling of something a little more than “pizza joint”, a move they hoped would help them get in touch with a new audience, specifically women and an evening crowd. They employed heritage in the remaking of the logo, giving it a modern, yet faded appearance and stuck the year they were established on it. They also carried on their belief that they make everything with love, installing a “crafted by hand & heart” motto on much of their material. Push helped transform Old Chicago from a place with a history to a pizza franchise that respects the past, but is looking to make new history.
