Tips for irresistible food truck branding

There’s just something about food trucks that make them hard to resist. These hip take-out locales on wheels are at the top of the street food game. They attract a crowd, get foodies talking and serve up delicious eats in unexpected places – from the parking lot of a concert to the community park to your best friend’s wedding reception.

But what is it about food trucks that makes them so special? Maybe it’s the fact that you get to chat with the chef when you’re picking up your food. Maybe it’s the magic of ordering al pastor at a taco truck thousands of miles from Mexico. Whatever it is that draws people to food trucks, you can’t deny how hip they are – which means their branding has a very cool reputation to maintain.

But just what is branding? It’s what gives companies that recognizability factor. You’d know your favorite coffee shop’s logo anywhere, right? Visual identity is an essential part of branding – you know a company’s brand is strong when certain symbols, fonts and colors put you in the mood for whatever they’re selling.

So if you’re thinking of starting a food truck business, you have a challenging but fun task at hand. It’s time to create branding that does such a good job conveying the personality and flavor of your cuisine that your customers will see your truck coming from a mile away (and run to get in line).

Branding elements

Close your eyes and think of your favorite chain restaurant or apparel brand. You can probably describe the logo down to the colors and font style. But if you’ve never given much thought to the common elements that make a company’s branding so memorable, let’s break it down:

• Logo: Logos come in different shapes and sizes but usually feature images and lettering. Some logos include the company’s name (or are the company’s name), while others – like Apple’s apple – rely on a visual design element to do the talking.
• Color palette: A color palette is a defined set of hues a brand uses wherever it goes. Whether you buy a Starbucks coffee in Milan or Hong Kong, the green logo on the cup should be the same hue. Color palettes contribute significantly to making a brand recognizable.
• Tone: Brands have personality: upbeat, funky, laid black, classy – the list goes on. Any slogans or written materials should represent that personality with a tone that sounds like the brand. Classy brands might opt for formal, poetic language, while hip one-liners work well for laid-back, youthful companies.

How to create an irresistible brand for a food truck

Your passion is food. You can toss pizza dough perfectly and make a meatball that rivals your grandma’s. But you might not be a marketing or graphic design expert – and that’s okay. Your passion is the base ingredient for creating a solid brand. Follow these steps to make the coolest food truck design possible.

1. Define your brand

Write out your mission statement, even if it’s only for you and your business partners to see. Define your values, core concept and what makes your food truck stand out. Try writing your mission statement in a voice that embodies your brand.

2. Target a specific market

If you’re in the food business, you already spend a lot of time thinking about what your customers want. Picture your ideal potential customer. What are their interests, and why will they love your food? Defining your audience will help you pinpoint how your brand should look and feel.

3. Pick a name that reflects the business

Maybe you’re naming your food truck after your grandma, who showed you that secret family meatball recipe. Respect. But if you don’t have a name yet, try to find one that fits the brand you’ve created and the customers you’re trying to reach. Use your truck's name to transport your customers to a sushi bar in Japan or an empanadas stand in Colombia. Or pick a witty name they won’t be able to forget.

4. Work on your look and feel

Now that you’ve selected a name and pinned down your truck’s brand identity, it’s time to hit the drawing board. Get out a set of markers or log on to a user-friendly design app and get to work defining your brand’s logo design and color scheme.

5. Brand your truck

You’re ready to brand your truck – and we’re not just talking custom paint jobs. Take your branding to the hilt. Plaster your design on your take-out packaging, get uniforms that match your brand's feel and color scheme, and make your fonts consistent everywhere you use words, from the signage to the menu.

Social media for mobile food businesses

Branding design isn’t just for staff T-shirts and the side of your truck – it’s for virtual outlets too. So don’t just make social media accounts – curate them. Here are a few tips for creating a social media presence that’s (almost) as pretty and engaging as your plating:

• Give foodies the full picture: You’re more than just your social media profiles, so use a Linktree URL in every bio to redirect viewers to your webpage, menu, merch site and beyond.
• Stick to the theme: A consistent brand is a strong brand. Use your logo as your profile photo and write your bio in your brand's voice. Use your food truck colors and typography any time you’re creating visual materials to post.
• Get your audience involved: Run a contest or giveaway and feature customers in your stories and posts. Not only will this score you some re-shares, but you’ll also remind your community they’re the reason you’re making food for others in the first place.
• Make ‘em drool: Food’s the name of your game, so show it off. Get professional photos of your signature dishes or curate high-quality pics of your own. Post a photo of gooey mac n’ cheese that will have a customer walking toward your stand before they know what’s hit them. Pictures that look good enough? That’s Food Truck Marketing 101.

Now get ready to bring home the bacon

The secret to making a solid brand is representing your unique values and flavors. Dare to stand out from the crowd with your cuisine and branding. If you’re not quite ready to dive into the branding steps above, get inspired by others in your community by checking out food truck images. After a spin around the web looking at what other food truck owners are doing, you’ll be ready to take on the task for your own mobile restaurant.