The Bar Brand People bring vibrant type, colour and character to tequila bar El Primo Sanchez

The Maybe Group’s El Primo Sanchez tequila bar, proudly offering its residents a combination of cocktails and karaoke, has collaborated with Sydney-based design studio The Bar Brand People to – you guessed it – craft their identity. Bringing the establishment to life through vibrant colour, typography and graphic storytelling, the brand is underpinned by the characterisation of El Primo Sanchez as “the rogue and mischievous cousin from Mexico.” Illustrated by TBBP’s Co-founder & Designer Katie Dean, appearing across printed ephemera, menus, and posters throughout the brand, alongside the hero typeface of choice; Uxum Grotesque by Bureau Nuits. “The El Primo Sanchez brand typeface and colour palette were inspired by bold, geometric Mexican architecture,” TBBP tell us, “the work of Mexican architect Luis Barragan,” they add, “became a focal point for both the interior design and the brand identity,” incorporating the vibrant, vivid, contrasting hues of Mexican towns. “Uxum Grotesque was selected because of its ability to recreate Mexican inspired stair step formations,” they continue, as seen when stacked, “this typeface was also available as a variable font,” TBBP note, “so we had the ability to make this move to music which was fitting for the small karaoke room” found inside the establishment. Complimenting El Primo Sanchez’s characterful yet pragmatic primary typeface, TBBP introduced a complementary script from Letterhend Studio to counterbalance the formality of the bar. “To contrast and soften the identity, the tagline ‘Escape to Mexico’ was typeset in Kaylar Script,” they detail, embodying a more candid, approachable vibe. “The venue itself is lively and fun,” TBBP concludes, “so we didn’t want it to feel too serious,” a sentiment indicative of the tone throughout the identity.