This June, in the midst of a pandemic that is wreaking havoc on the restaurant industry, Cho Thai opened at 3218 Magazine Street. The neighborhood did exactly what you’d expect: it ate and it ate and it has kept on eating. Not unlike the team at Brand Society who was hired this spring to help with the launch.
According to Odette Ieyoub, account director at Brand Society, “Louisiana Crab Fried Rice and the Nutella roti are to die for. I swear it was worth all the late nights just for this. But seriously, It was great fun being part of the birth of this exciting restaurant concept.”
Chef Jimmy Cho, who partnered with BRG Hospitality for Cho Thai, got his start in the restaurant business with Banana Blossom in Gretna in 2009. Cho grew up in northeast Thailand, where his family ran a combination noodle shop and grocery.
While Jimmy and his team were busy in the kitchen creating the Cho Thai menu, the Brand Society team was whipping up a name, logo design, menu design, website, as well as social media and digital campaigns. Because of Covid-19, the restaurant first opened with Cho To Go. Indoor dining followed.
Art Director Gage Burke, who took the lead on the project, spent weeks researching Jimmy and Thailand and exploring all the ways to strategically bring his brand to life. Reflecting on the creative journey, Gage recalled,“Jimmy is one of the nicest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. It was an honor to work with him and the BRG team to uncover the best aesthetic representation of his personality and passion for sharing such incredible flavors.”
Along with the Cho Thai work, Brand Society has been asked to create campaigns for several other BRG Hospitality restaurants. Watch this space to learn more.
