Hotbox is a Boston late-night comfort food concept that brings together two Bostonian classics under one roof. Those two plates are the North Shore roast beef sandwich and the South Shore’s bar pizza. Representing two rival culinary traditions under one brand is no easy task, so the folks at Disciple looked at the things they had in common to define the brand strategy and from there the visual identity. The result was Hotbox’s fun and urban-forward vibe, inspired by hip hop and stoner culture. Brand illustrations and mascots inspired by low-brow ephemera are rendered simply on pizza boxes and in a gorgeous neon sign. Mismatched and playful typography really set the tone, especially on a branded tshirt with wavy lines of copy. The restrained use of color serves two purposes; it references back to cheap flyer advertisements, like the kind you’d find stapled to telephone poles, and adds a consistent steady beat to a brand that is otherwise loud and proudly dances to its own rhythm.
Hotbox Branding, Illustration & Art Direction by Disciple.
