There is a lot of curiousity around the Rancho Relaxo logo.
Meet Katie Trevino, an Ohio lady who had never stepped foot in our desert.
When I approached Katie about designing our logo I told her I wanted a logo that would sell a million tshirts. I chuckle thinking about her first iteration of my branding. It was full of beautiful, lush green tropical foliage. I asked her if she had ever been to a desert. After answering no I quickly booked a ticket for her to fly to Palm Springs to see the desert through my eyes.
I have always loved logos with creatures. I shared with her the iconic Hermes and Ortigia logos and asked Katie to create a logo using the roadrunner as our icon. Roadrunners represent curiosity, fearlessness and a joyous nature. And they are an icon of the desert celebrated in pop culture by his perennial race with Wiley Coyote.
Again I am chuckling as I remember Katie's first iteration of a roadrunner. Katie has still yet to see one of these feathered friends except for in videos. I shared this version with a
couple of friends and my spirits were dashed when I was asked the significance of the chicken!!!
I shared this feedback with Katie and she knew what needed to be done, but she didn't think she was the person to execute it. I asked her to try and less than 24 hours later she delivered the logo that is on its way to selling a million tshirts.
What I love about Katie and her process is the back-story. Behind every brand or creation there are the stories of the customers, their desires, references and interests that fuel her creative decisions.
Katie and her husband Jacob have an empire of restaurants and bars in Cincinnati. I learned of her through my brother. I fell in love with her work after diving down the Instagram well of her Gorilla Cinema Presents collection.
Their collection includes The Shining-inspired neighborhood bar The Overlook Lodge that just celebrated its 6th birthday.
Down the street they opened their first steakhouse The Lonely Pine.
In the downtown area there is the Tokyo Kitty karaoke bar. Tiki Tiki Bang Bang is a island paradise-inspired tiki bar speakeasy that celebrates the cinema that celebrates this heritage.
La Ofrenda tequila bar, their newest endeavor, opened on the inauspicious date of 12.31.19.
When you find yourself in Cincinnati, add these spots to your must-see list. In the meantime, follow along with their evolution on Insta.