In the crowded market of quick service restaurants, standing out requires more than just good food. Kosta’s Takeaway has not just nailed their product, they’ve also got a clear brand and identity. From the unapologetic tone of voice to the nostalgic visual elements, here’s how Kosta’s branding is crafted to reflect its core values and heritage.
The start of a brand
It all started over a coffee. Owner Benjamin Terlakas looped in previous collaborators Meri Biscotto and Krisinda Merhi and started spitballing. Benji had been brewing the idea of a takeaway sandwich shop, and when his dad offered for him to open it in the office of his panel beater shop, they could suddenly see it coming to life.
“A lot of it was Benji was rattling off ideas, which he is really good at doing,” says Biscotto. “We were taking it all in. Krisinda was doing all the copy, picking up on a lot of what he said, and then we sort of started to build it from there.”
Read more about Kosta’s journey here.
Unfiltered and Authentic: The Tone of Voice
Kosta’s Takeaway’s tone of voice is not what you’d expect from a hospitality venue, but that’s what makes it stand out. It’s niche, which creates a clear identity and persona, and it’s as bold and unfiltered as its founder.
“I would describe Kosta’s tone of voice as ‘I don’t give a f***’,” says Copywriter Krisinda. “Very unapologetic, they say what they mean. no bullshit, no bells and whistles. And that came from a lot of what Benji is, but also, we’re all ethnic in our upbringing, so a lot of what we were exposed to and raised around comes through in that. The people around us, particularly the older generation, just say what they mean.”
This tone of voice shows itself in many ways. Aside from being bold and almost brash, you can spot spelling mistakes and broken sentences, just how uncle Con would speak (the venue is named after Benji’s dad, who goes by many names, including Con and Kosta). Even their website copy carries this through: Is simple: you like, you buy. You no like, you no buy. Go to bloody Subway for your white bred Italian sub blah blah, ya bloody Malaka.
I write no bulls*** copy by not overthinking it and by saying what I want to say, leaning into Benji’s voice or my grandfather’s voice, and just really kind of honestly having fun with it, which sounds so cliche, but it’s so true,”
Krisinda Merhi → Copywriter
Keeping It Classic, Not Basic
Building a Visual Identity
The brand’s identity stretches beyond the copy. Yes it’s a sandwich shop, but it has nods to culture, history, and nostalgia with its brand colours white, blue and red.
“We drew inspiration from Benji’s Greek Heritage, his dad, and then also your typical fish and chip takeaway mixed business store that the immigrants would’ve started when they first came here,” Meri explains. “The old convenience stores where they had ‘mixed business’ or ‘convenience store’ in big red text, that’s where the colors came from.”
This doesn’t mean the brand is set in stone. The team flexes Kosta’s identity between locations, with each venue having its own flavour and personality.
Each store is a different part of Uncle Con’s persona. You’ve got Rockdale where he is hanging out with his friends, having a smoke, that kind of vibe. At Rosebery, it’s more if you were going to Uncle Con’s house and he’s being hospitable and making you a coffee. Circular Quay is Uncle Con going to an event, so he’s popped on a suit. So we really get to develop this persona of Kosta’s and Uncle Con as well, which makes all the other stuff easier to execute.”
Meri Biscotto → Brand Manager
The team is also unafraid to experiment. Menu board not ready for one venue? No worries, write it on some masking tape and stick it up. “So now masking tape is part of the brand, and we’ve created digital versions,” says Meri.
An unapologetic brand
It’s clear that Benji and the team have created something unique, with a strong foundation and a great product to back it up. “When you have a really strong brand and a really strong product and people want a piece of that, then the rest just writes itself,” says Krisinda.
With this strong brand, the team is building a culture. There are the things they value and want to invest their time and money in, and things that aren’t important to them. You’re either here for it and are a part of it, or you can go somewhere else.
“Kosta’s is really good at leaning the f*** in the whole way through. And also not giving a f*** in other areas,” says Krisinda. “So it’s kind of leaning in and leaning out as needed. And I think the things that are most important are the people and the culture and the brand. And menu boards just aren’t up there.”
