Speedy Romeo’s branding is a homage to its namesake
Saint Urbain has designed a new identity and packaging for the Brooklyn pizza restaurant that takes its horsey origin story and runs with it
Launched in 2012, Speedy Romeo has become a beloved pizza joint in Brooklyn, New York. The restaurant gets its distinctive name from the champion racehorse owned by co-founder Todd Feldman’s family back in the 1970s.
In the past, a portrait of Speedy Romeo, the horse, looked out over diners in Speedy Romeo, the restaurant. Horse motifs have now been placed squarely at the heart of its new identity, packaging, and brand collateral, which were designed by agency Saint Urbain to bolster Speedy Romeo’s expansion plans.
The new logo features a loose silhouette of a horse with a mane that juts out in horizontal spikes, like the teeth of a comb. These are joined by other horse illustrations, including additional silhouetted versions, line drawings found on menus and wine labels, and painterly horse portraits incorporated into clothing.
Informed by everything from old magazines to racing memorabilia, there’s a delightfully nostalgic touch throughout the branding and packaging – including the bubbly retrofuturistic lettering in the wordmark – nodding back to the era in which the family’s racehorse was at his peak. The identity is topped with unctuous photographs of pizza for good measure.
“We wanted to capture the warm, eclectic atmosphere of Speedy Romeo and bring it to life visually,” said Alex Ostroff, creative director at Saint Urbain.
“Drawing inspiration from the worlds of auto and horse racing, as well as the vibrant energy of 70s rock ‘n’ roll, we aimed to create a brand identity that resonates with both the restaurant’s history and its dynamic present.”
