We were asked to create a new integrated advertising campaign and brand design refresh for Del Taco, the nation’s second-leading Mexican quick service restaurant. The “Hardest Working Hands” campaign, which launched in June 2018, celebrated the cornerstones of the business—Del Taco employees’ pride and hard work—and elevated consumer perceptions of Del Taco as a better-quality option.

As part of this initiative, we were asked to create a new design template for all collateral. Our objective was to separate and elevate the brand’s visual identity from the noise of the fast-feeder category.

Our goal was to simplify the laid-back brand’s identity. Del Taco needed a system that wouldn’t clutter the consumer experience, especially when considering large number of design touchpoints, including everything from store artwork, to print, digital, and social assets, to packaging—a total of over 60 pieces.

We based our fresh, new design system on several principles:
• Clean backgrounds with minimal messaging, creating a canvas that stands out
• Abstract, hand-crafted background patterns inspired by SoCal and Mexican culture, as well as Del Taco’s fresh ingredients
• A vibrant color palette drawn from SoCal’s sun, sky, water and foliage
• A bold but refined typography system

Since launch, Del Taco has seen incredible growth in key brand perception metrics, including a 5-point increase in Value, an 8-point increase in Quality and an 11-point increase in Freshness.

And, even more exciting, our new packaging has led to a remarkable increase in online chatter, with
a 9% increase in social conversation and a 6% increase in photos and videos shared on social.