The Goal

To develop a brand for Mahony & Sons, a family-owned authentic Irish pub.

The Challenge

With a proliferation of new pubs and restaurants, Mahony & Sons wanted to distinguish themselves from the generic establishments and position themselves as ‘genuinely authentic’.

The Solution

The brand strategy emerged after looking into the Mahony’s colourful family history. If anyone could claim to be an authentic Irish pub, the Mahonys could.

The family’s long history of pub ownership was incorporated onto collateral pieces featuring generations of family members and their unique stories. Stories such as Barney Mahony being sent from Cork to Sydney in 1824 as a convict at the ripe age of 13 for pick pocketing, then later finding his calling running “The Good Woman’ pub in the 1870’s. As well, the logo was adapted from an 18^th-century ancestor’s signature.

This engaging and authentic brand story helped result in sales above initial projections and the Mahony & Sons identity winning several design awards and accolades. Additionally, the family exudes a tremendous pride in sharing their heritage through their branding, in addition to their loyal customers consistently responding to the authentic brand story telling. Even the head brewmaster of Guinness visited all the way from Dublin and offered his very welcomed endorsement.