In Spring of 2024, the Aspen Grille restaurant opened its doors to the campus community after a building renovation. The space had undergone a significant refresh and the previously wood-paneled private club now boasted gleaming white marble surfaces, stunning views through charming honeycomb exterior building features, and trendy angled white wainscoting along with traditional CSU-green accents. It was clear that the farm-to-table style dining space needed a new branding image to match the new space.
As both the LSC’s Marketing and Communications Manager and the designated graphic designer for the Aspen Grille relaunch, I had the unique opportunity to oversee and execute every aspect of the restaurant's rebranding. This was my first opportunity to create a restaurant logo and I was thrilled by the opportunity. This project, which included managing the full marketing campaign, allowed me to merge creative and strategic skills to bring a fresh identity to this campus gem. This was a team effort as multiple marketing staff members contributed assets to the overall campaign.
Key Deliverables:
Logo Redesign
I started with the logo, developing three distinct concepts incorporating the beautiful aspen tree with various campus and dining inspired imagery. After collaborating with LSC’s Director of Dining and the newly on-boarded Chef, a final logo was selected, depicting a watercolor-textured leaf with contemporary arched type. This treatment embodies the modern space and complements campus brand colors. The new logo became the foundation for all the branding, helping to create a consistent identity across multiple platforms, including a 2-color embroidery, set up by graphic designer Leif Blessing.
Menu Design and Layout
I redesigned the menu to align with the new brand. The goal was to create a layout which was clean, visually appealing, and coordinated with the space. The white marble surfaces were echoed in the design with vignettes of fresh ingredients layered with a bright green band. Since the menu would also be displayed on the space’s prominent LCD screens, the proportions of the printed piece matched the dimensions of the screens, making production and editing more efficient and resulting in a size that was easy to browse. The Chef was very invested in the menu, as he refined the entrees for each semester, focusing on fresh, locally-sourced and sustainable fare with international flavors. LSC Dining has a commitment to inclusivity, so representing allergens clearly and cleanly was also a focus.
Photography
LSC Marketing’s Leif Blessing coordinated with the venue to take photos of the enticing fresh new salads, homemade chips, and other entree options and signature mocktails. We were able to showcase actual items within the venue, again highlighting the clean marble table and green accents. Additionally, the renovation vendors including the architect provided additional images of the revitalized space.
Digital Displays
In addition to the print collateral, I designed content for the restaurant's two LCD screens. These screens, placed prominently above the bar and in the dramatic entryway, showcased key promotions, menu highlights, and imagery that helped reinforce the rebrand. Additionally, I leveraged the LSC’s building screen system, which features 22 screens throughout the building and runs graphics by reservation for the entire campus. With foot traffic of approximately 20,000 people per day, this approach gave additional visibility to the venue.
Social Media
One of my main responsibilities as Marketing and Communications Manager was developing and executing the overall marketing strategy. This included a social media campaign focused on Instagram. An LSC Marketing student, Hannah Mismas, researched “before and after” imagery, depicting the previous heavily paneled space which was only available to staff. In contrast, the bright new space is welcoming to the entire community.
Print Advertising
I reserved and designed paid advertisements through Rocky Mountain Student Media to reach the broader student body and build excitement around the reopening. The unified message across digital and print channels helped drive significant engagement.
Website & Content Coordination
While I oversaw the overall marketing efforts, I collaborated closely with my team to ensure everything was aligned. I asked Jill Jones, communications coordinator, to write the press release and articles related to the relaunch, including two articles published in CSU’s SOURCE. Meanwhile, Ryan Haynes, multimedia coordinator, took charge of updating the Aspen Grille webpage, ensuring it showcased the new brand, menu, and reservation service. This teamwork allowed us to maintain a consistent message across all platforms.
Outcome
The relaunch was a success, thanks in large part to the cohesive branding and marketing efforts. The new logo, redesigned menu, and comprehensive marketing campaign helped reintroduce Aspen Grille to the CSU community with a fresh perspective.
For more information on the LSC’s renovation and reopening activities, visit the LSC Grand Opening page.
Conclusion
This project allowed me to fully leverage both my design skills and my marketing expertise. By managing the entire process—from creating the logo to overseeing the marketing strategy—I was able to ensure that every piece of collateral worked together to build a strong, consistent brand for Aspen Grille. The success of the relaunch reinforced the importance of having a unified vision, and I’m proud of the role I played in bringing this project to life.
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