Thirst | Communication Design Practice

Noodles

Thirst, led by Rick Valicenti, Nick Adam, and Anna Mort, collaborated to design the future of Noodles. Noodles (formerly known as Noodles & Company) is a publicly-traded, fast-casual restaurant chain, with over 450 locations nationally.

Noodles commissioned Thirst to design a comprehensive identity system and much like the noodle itself, the system’s recipe is composed of simple ingredients all with a connection to a bowl and a world of flavors.

The design process was intensely collaborative. By engaging the strategic messaging of Donna Speigel and interior architecture by Sarah Dunn and Martin Felsen of UrbanLab, a single harmonious design system was arrived at in under four months.

This work is currently being prototyped and tested.

Years worth of environmental art and ad campaigns

The Noodles mascot is carefully constructed of simple shapes

The circle and the signal unit — like the noodle itself made from water and flour

4 different weights

Four different fills

Our Noodles palette relates to food, nature, and Colorado

An approach called dogleg was designed for 3-color usage

Use any color, but when using 3 colors the Dogleg method is a must

Mascot applications

Noodle shapes designed with the same ingredients

The identity system logic accommodates all noodle forms

Nourish the world with beauty

Noodle shapes in use

Every composition uses the signature and the mascot
For small usage, the logo is set in a rigatoni shape

Typeface as signature — sustainable guidelines for the in-house design team

Simple composition guidelines demonstrating infinite possibilities

Custom lettering direction and examples — look cool

Multi-media art direction and examples — deliver ah-ha

Photo art direction and examples — relaxed presentation of food

Placemats to set the guest experience

Flame palette patterns

Sun palette patterns

Sky palette patterns

Utensil palette patterns

Pattern applications on cups — small, medium, and large

ToGo bowls and chopsticks

Fun with noodle names

Teaching moment

It‘s a Noodles world

My Noodles

Noodles make smiles

Typographic flavor

Discover bold flavors

The future of Noodles

Years of campaign and environmental design work

Gift cards

Prototype renderings from UrbanLab

Stoodles — custom furniture for the Noodle’s lounge

How to make the variable pattern

Private label condiments

ToGo signage

Patio umbrella

Front entry

Pattern logic

Food trucks

Caps to match store palate or align with regional teams — Mets, Nets and Cubs

Team member’s choice — button-down or apron

Branded totes

Uniforms that celebrate each team-members own identity

Keeping guests updated

Noo modes of communication

Kids bowl with a place for the vegetable sides

Prototype of a Noodles toy

Annual award graphics

Celebrate your staff

Commemorative poster and trophy

Simply be Boulder

Client: Noodles

Service: Art; Art Direction; Branding; Illustration; Motion; Print; Research; Signage

Credits

Design Direction Rick Valicenti
Design Nick Adam and Anna Mort

Motion Graphics Suzie Shin
3-Dimensional Renderings Zach Minnich

Writing Donna Speigel
Architecture UrbanLab
Quick Pick Up TBD Innovation

Process

Valicenti’s notes from day one

Initial sketches of the mascot and circular equites

The world, the bowl, and the noodle

Meeting notes in situ

Getting noodley came quick

Early idea — al dente noodle as mascot

many signatures quickly designed and discussed in initial testing sessions

Simple ingredients — the circle and the single unit

custom type contrasted with more legible type was tested and discussed

We dismissed early work

The first presentation began and ended with this slide

Images of Anthony Bordian’s global travels inspired custom furniture

Stoodle schematic

Test prototype of Stoodle

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