Getting Real With a Rising Star
MOD Pizza
In a market crowded with global behemoths and indie outposts, MOD Pizza stands out for their high-quality products and putting people first, reflecting a commitment to individual style, community connection, and positive impact. As their success led to a growing national restaurant chain, MOD asked Headquarters to reimagine their brand and deliver an updated kit of parts that was human-centered and artisanal, not mass market. We answered with a refreshed design language that embraces a hand-crafted approach and “perfect imperfections,” providing a creative, flexible, and fun-to-implement array of elements that honors the uniqueness of the brand.
Brand Design
Packaging Design
Collateral Design
Digital Design
Illustration
Crafting the Visual Language
We chose new type for the brand that embodies friendliness and references the handmade, further enhanced with hand-drawn words and doodles. The brand color palette was modernized with a brighter red and the addition of a warm blue, unique in the category. A suite of brand textures was created that reflects the grit and authenticity of MOD Squad staff.
Refining the Key Ingredient
While not part of the project scope, we took the opportunity to optimize the MOD badge by balancing letterforms, perfecting the container shape, and simplifying color.
Primary Combination Mark
2-Color Badge
Secondary Combination Mark
Keeping it Weird
One of MODs’ mantras is “Keep MOD weird,” and part of our job was showing ways the brand could come to life beyond a strict adherence to design standards. We solved this by creating a system that allows for a wide variety of creative expressions within a branded container. Murals, wearables, merchandise and more take on a life of their own when they live in the MOD branded house, or are closely associated with the MOD badge, providing endless opportunities to create unique items and experiences that reflect the outgoing and diverse spirit of MOD and capture the attention of consumers.
