Jimmy John’s

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To keep up with its “freaky fast” reputation and grow with its customers, Jimmy John’s needed to grow up without feeling old.

IDENTITY / BRAND DESIGN / STRATEGY / RETAIL EXPERIENCE / ADAPTATION

Opportunity

Part of what makes Jimmy John’s so special is its fast-paced, high energy, no B.S., get-it-done now, big city attitude right in your own hometown. To preserve all those things that make it unique, while also meeting the latest customer needs, the fast-growing restaurant chain looked to refresh its identity and develop a new restaurant format.

The Change

Evolving the brand meant first identifying the heart of the identity – the JJ initials, the medallion, and iconic super seal – to perfect, simplify, and codify the existing 40+ versions into one. The dynamic system stays true to Jimmy John’s, while modernizing the icons, patterns, food and lifestyle photography, packaging, uniforms and more. The new identity was then brought to life in Jimmy John’s first ever drive-thru only location. While the drive-thru only model is a physical manifestation of the brand, it was developed to better serve today’s consumer, with a digital-forward approach that elevates Jimmy John’s “freaky fast” reputation.

Impact

The new brand identity was unveiled in 2021 and received an overwhelmingly positive response from consumers and media alike. Paul Brown, CEO of Inspire Brands, even stated it was their “most successful brand launch.” The opening of Jimmy John’s first ever drive-thru only site is already sparking the same crave-worthy response.