As New Zealand’s largest culinary festival, Visa Wellington On a Plate challenges the notion of what food is and could be, through a world-class programme of events, dishes, cocktails and burgers held over a whole month each year.

We were approached to redevelop the ever-evolving festival’s identity which no longer reflected its future ambitions and expansive high-quality programme. It was important that the new identity sit confidently alongside the primary sponsor Visa and conform to their stringent sponsorship guidelines. It was essential the brand was robust, instantly recognisable and simple, whilst communicating the essence of the festival.

Our brand strategy explored how we could enhance inclusivity, accessibility and diversity and expand on what makes Visa Wellington On a Plate unique by representing both sides of the festival: world-class culinary craft; and exceptional experiences. This led to the brand essence ‘Eat Curious!’ and was translated into our logo with a timeless symbol ‘the plate of curiosity’.

The brand essence drove our approach to creating a visual language. Like chefs plating food, we restricted ourselves to the same basic ingredients, composing playful culinary scenes, animations and iconography. This ensured endless possibilities to celebrate the culinary world, without featuring particular produce or brands.