LOTSA BALLS | NEW JERSEY
Meatballs and
Fun for Everyone
The 70’s called and they want Grandma’s sports den back.
LOTSA BALLS
PROJECT DETAILS
Branding & Identity
Brand Application
Production
Marketing & PR
Interior Design
Architecture
Web Design
PROJECT SUMMARY
To most from the Garden State, meatballs are considered to be THE heirloom of all recipes. Every family has their own version; a family famous pie, a secret casserole with one mysterious ingredient. So how do bring these to the forefront of the menu? We created Lotsa Balls in Metuchen, NJ.
THE CHALLENGE
The experienced restaurant owners need some playful, family-friendly branding for their new meatball concept. We opened on Main Street in a small Central Jersey town.
OUR APPROACH
We got to now the owners, who they were and where they came from and what was personal to them about this concept (establishing the restaurant as a feel-good neighborhood spot for everyone). We researched the neighborhood to understand the importance of creating a true “New Jersey-Italian” concept that would resonate with locals and future locations alike.
Creating Nostalgia
For Lotsa Balls, it was important for the brand to make customers feel transported to a different era. To do this, we created a custom script logo with varsity flare. It’s nostalgic and relatable for kids of all ages, 1-100.
Quirky Illustrations
We created characters, Grandma and Jimmy, and illustrations for them that appear on the menu, website, and various pieces of collateral ranging from coasters to business cards to sandwich wrappers. Grandma and Jimmy are used in purposeful ways to reinforce the restaurant’s brand and give the space and printed materials a sense of tonality. We also created custom illustrations around sports, replacing traditional sports balls and round objects with meatballs.
“JIMMY! Your meatballs are getting cold!
You'll have no supper if you don't come upstairs!”
A Retro 70s Sports Den
At Grandma’s House
During our identity exploration we quickly developed the idea of a ‘70s sports den’ and knew we hit a home run. The space is full of meaningful sports tchotchkes like vintage trophies, baseball gloves, tennis rackets, and more, as well as a sitting area with retro couches and a black and white television. Who wouldn’t want to hang amongst trophy cases and autographed sports balls? The time warp of a Sunday Supper is an experience created for people to enjoy, feel at home, and never want to leave.
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