The house that fried chicken built - Max's Brand History

The house that Fried Chicken built

BRAND HISTORY

Copyright 2017 The House that Fried Chicken Built: Max’s Restaurant Brand History Research and book design by Diana F. David Type set in FreightText Pro Book This book is not officially affiliated nor endorsed by Max’s restaurant.

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Post-war Philippines and Maximo Jimenez: 1940s Hospitality and humble beginnings

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics Max’s Logo: Wordmark and the Dancing Chickens Typography: The Menu and Early forms of advertisements Introduction of the tagline: Sarap to the bones!

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications Restaurant’s Exterior and Interior Max expands its services: Pamphlets Print Advertisements Videographic Advertisements Digital Media Marketing Strategies Other touchpoints

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Max’s today

Post-war Philippines and Maximo Gimenez 1940s Hospitality and humble beginnings

Max’s Brand History

1945 It all started with hospitality.

Maximo Gimenez, a Stanford University Education alumnus, welcomed American soldiers to his abode at Scout Tuason, Quezon City for a couple of beers, slices of steak, and homestyle fried chicken.

As time progressed, the American GIs insisted to pay for their food. Maximo took the opportunity to start a bar and café. Maximo was then assisted by his wife Mercedes, sister-inlaw Felipa Sanvictores and his niece Ruby Trota to manage the small bistro.

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It was Ruby Trota who concocted the secret recipe of their famous fried chicken— the dish which kept the Americans on coming back, and consequently made the bar and café more famous to the Filipino public.

Post-war Philippines and Maximo Gimenez

1953 Almost a decade after the restaurant opened, a second location in Parañaque was erected, which later on was moved to Baclaran at Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas Boulevard.)

It was when the restaurants’ name was decided. Originally called Maximo’s, the Gimenez, Trota, and Sanvictores clans figured to call it Max’s instead—as the Americans were having a hard time pronoucing the former.

The quaint bistro of 1945 was then turned into a restaurant serving other Filipino dishes like kare-kare, sinigang, and lumpiang ubod.

In less than a decade, the relationship of the Gimenez, Trota, and Sanvictores families was formalized on paper to ensure the quality service the Max’s restaurant would bring in the future.

Today, Max’s Restaurant has over 160 branches in the Philippines and abroad.

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Max’s Brand History

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

Max’s Brand History

1956 Three years after the second branch of Max’s restaurant was established at Dewey (Roxas) Boulevard, the name Q.C. Max’s, Inc., The House that Fried Chicken Built was registered as a trade name under the Philippine Trademark Law. The first branch in Scout Tuason officially changed the signage in its facade subsequently.

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The signage officially marked the history of Max’s visual identity: its first wordmark.

Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

The first wordmark of Maximo Gimenez’ restaurant followed simplicity and sophistication; “Max’s” was handwritten with curves that emphasize and attempt elegance and seriousness, as seen from the spurs of letters M, a, and x.

As the restaurant emerges from a time period that resulted from war, the design movement in Manila then was a hodgepodge of various forms of typography translated into print and billboard advertisements—a symbol of putting things back together, of recovery, and of hope.

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s w0rdmark over the years

1956

It is apparent that the logo of 1956 was only reiterated in different permutations, yet retained the fundamental fluid composition of the spurs of letters M, a, and x.

1960s–70s

One factor for logo change would be the application of the logo to different brand touchpoints such as billboards, T.V. commercials, and magazine print ads. As seen in the 1993 logo, kerning was reduced to make the letters follow a narrow form, unlike the logo of 60s–70s. By this time period, Max’s was already advertising its brand through T.V. commercials. (See p.18) Another considerable factor for change would be Max’s adaptation to trends. Such is the 2000s’ logo where there had been a proliferation of skeuomorphic designs—a trend in which graphic elements imitate their realworld counterparts. The 2000s-present logo resembles that of an acrylic signage posted outside an establishment.

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1993

2000s–present

Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

2017–present

As of present time however, Max’s social media accounts and current promotional materials provide its viewers another permutation. Showing a flatly designed yet deliberately altered spatial elements, this

logo seemed to be adapting to the trend in response to skeuomorphism i.e. flat design—which is known to be arguably more flexible and adaptable to different platforms.

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Max’s Brand History

The dancing chickens

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This pictorial logo—consisting of a dancing rooster and hen— was also introduced back in 1956, right after their name was registered as a trade name under the Philippine Trademark Law. It was shown in public when the first branch of Max’s restaurant in Scout

Tauson went on renovation and proceeded with adapting a Malay-inspired roofline.

This pictorial logo was ought to be applied in official touchpoints. Yet at some point in its history, Max’s has only chosen to use the wordmark as its primary mark. (See page 18.)

Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

Max’s typography: The first menu

The earliest form of typography utilized by Max’s could be seen in the restaurant’s one-way ticket to their customers’ hearts: the 1960 Max’s menu.

It is most likely that the company used offset printing for the menus. When it was first introduced, offset printing was usually used for print materials such as cards, booklets, and letterheads. It is done by transferring images from a metal plate to rubber blankets with ink then to the print medium.

The menu consists of a sans serif typeface (which resembles Futura) applied to the heading “Fried Chicken Dinner” and a serif typeface for the rest of the menu’s sections, subtitles, headings, and food descriptions.

The scanned image above can be seen in the current wall murals of Max’s Restaurant’s interiors as seen from the second photo above.

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s typography: Early forms of advertisements Ed DS, a collector of vintage postcards, cigarette labels, pop culture materials, coins and paper money, shares his collection of old Max’s postcards of the 1960s in his website called pinoykollektor.com.

He mentions that he bought the postcards during an auction of the Bayanihan Collectors Club, a recognized organization by the Central Bank of the Phillipines. Upon his conservation of the seller, he found out that these Max’s postcards were created by Maximo himself, in order to spread the word about his restaurant.

In hindsight, these postcards have become one of the earliest form of advertisements Max’s company has gone for.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

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Max’s Brand History

1993 It was this year when the wordmark of Max’s was officially used as the logo, instead of just the chickens.

This year as well, was when the company adopted the tagline “Sarap to the Bones,” and announced its first celebrity endorser, the multiawarded celebrity icon, Gary Valenciano.

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Introduction of the tagline: Sarap to the Bones!

Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

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Max’s Brand History

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

Max’s Brand History

Architecture and Establishment’s facade Max’s Restaurant facade has evolved over the years.

From the 1940 American influenced two-storey architecture of Maximo’s residence at Scout Tuason, Quezon City to the 196070s Malay-inspired roofline renovation of the succeeding branches and then to the contemporary construction of its establishments of today— Max’s has proved itself to adapt to the times yet remain classic in the spirit of “coming home.”

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

Today, several branches of Max’s follow contemporary architecture: emphasizing sleekness and streamlined exteriors of the modern restaurant. An example is the first photo above: Max’s Restaurant Kapitolyo Branch.

However, the spirit of Malayinspired roofline continues

to live on at some of its branches to preserve its rootedness from the past. An example is the second photo above: Scout Tuason Branch present time.

With more than 160 branches today, two things left remained in the Max’s Restaurant architecture: the hospitality

that allowed the birth of the 1945 bar and café and the catchphrase “The House That Fried Chicken Built” in acrylics, displayed rightly to welcome customers and guests with its promise of service and quality.

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s Restaurant Interior Early photos of the Max’s Restaurant’s interior show touches of modern interior design as seen on the structure of chairs and windows.

In the 70s, it was apparent for furnitures to make use of the tropical teak hardwood.

The material, usually comes in colors ochre brown or burnt sienna, follows a mid-century interior design style—giving an ambiance of comfort and “coming home” as Max’s suggests in its 70th anniversary theme: “Uuwi sa’yo.”

If not wood for its furnitures and countertops, Max’s make use of brown leather—again, underlining its root from a restaurant that was once a house. Hospitality, as a brand quality, was also reflected in the aspect of its furnitures.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

But what’s interesting is the consistent designs elaborately placed on the interior’s wallpapers and murals of the restaurant.

These murals usually consist of the following: Max’s 1960 menu, Nanay Ruby’s portrait with a brief description paying homage to her and her classic recipe, a landscape picture of the first branch of Max’s, and the dancing chickens of 1956.

Max’s current interior designs reflect the company valuing the essence of its history­­­­­­— one that knows how to go back to its roots and one that never forgets its past—and the tradition of hospitality.

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Max’s Brand History

The Max’s Menu: Cuisine of the PH From the 1960s one page menu, Max’s menu of today evolved from its famous fried chicken in the spotlight, to wide array of selections Filipino cuisine can offer. Nanay Ruby and her successors concoted several Filipino food recipes in the long run. The menu of Max’s now comes in an legal size (long bond paper) booklet, hardbounded in red with Max’s logo embossed on the right corner.

Today, it also has established the so-called Max’s Corner Bakery, highlighting the bitesized caramel bar which made the Max’s combo meal of a quarter chicken, rice, and pancit a truly unique dish.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

Max’s expands its services: The Max’s milestones

Not only does the food served that have evolved, but the range of services of Max’s has gone to providing function halls for events as well.

These flyers show Max’s core value of being family-oriented, from christening, to birthdays, and wedding receptions and anniversaries, Max’s presents a promise to be in every milestone of a Filipino’s life.

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s Print Advertisements

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From the first ever postcards made by Maximo Gimenez, Max’s was able to expand its reach by going for different forms of print advertisements such as tarpaulins leading to their branches and flyers and pamphlets.

Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

Photo above: Max’s Delivery billboard sign found along Esteban Abada Street, Quezon City.

Photo below: Max’s Specialty of the House promotional poster found along Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City.

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s Videographic/T.V. Advertisements

With the rise of T.V. personalities, Max’s was able to reach more audience through making t.v. commercials. In 1996, its first ever celebrity endorser, Gary Valenciano, made Max’s first debut in telivision happen, with a “Sarap to the Bones!” commercial jingle.

Around early 2000s, then heartthrob of the young generation, Piolo Pascual became the second celebrity endorser of Max’s. Using the theme of romantic evening dates in which Piolo’s tries to find the “right one,” the commercial all boiled down to the Max’s fried chicken being the only one he “had been waiting for all of his life.”

By early 2010s, Max’s third celebrity endorser Coco Martin presented the variety of Filipino food selections Max’s is now offering—a changing time in the brand’s history as it continues to expand internationally.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

Max’s other videographic advertisements come in the form of short films directed by the 62nd Cannes Film Festival Best Director, Brillante Mendoza. This consists of the iconic advertisements presenting Piolo Pascual and Isabel Oli, and the recent #MaxStories debuted last year.

For it’s 70th year celebration last 2015, Max’s released a video titled “Uuwi Sa’yo” by Moira dela Torre of The Voice Philippines. This special 70th advertisement celebrates the long history of Max’s, emphasizing “uuwi sa’yo (coming back home to you)” as its theme.

Nag-umpisa ang lahat sa mga laro, sa mga biro Kuwentuhan ng wala lang tawanan, tampuhan Nauuwi ang lahat sa pagsasamahan, pagmamahalan Ganyan ang buhay minsan masarap, minsan mahirap Paulit-ulit, pabago-bago pero ang mahal mo uuwi sa’yo

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s in Digital Media: Reaching younger generations Max’s restaurant continues to expand its reach by using proper channels in the internet. It has its own website, facebook, twitter, instagram, and youtube account that are regularly updated with promotional materials and documentation.

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For its 70th year, Max’s launched a website called chickenlove.ph, celebrating its long Chicken history complete with Max’s trivias, gallery, coupons, videos, and etc.

Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

fb.com/maxsrestaurant twitter.com/maxsrestaurant instagram: @maxschicken youtube: Max’s Restaurant chickenlove.com maxschicken.com

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Max’s Brand History

Marketing Strategy: Max’s ChickenAll-You-Can For almost a decade, Max’s has been celebrating its famous fried chicken recipe by offering Chicken-All-You-Can to its customers at least once a year.

Customers are given basket of Max’s fried chicken of unlimited supply.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

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Max’s Brand History

Max’s other visual collaterals What’s a restaurant without the option of delivery and takeouts?

Max’s visual identity are kept in its packaging designs like paper bags.

Apart from this, Max’s also apply its visual system to different brand touchpoints such as tissue papers, toothpicks, t-shirts, mugs, paper mats, cake boxes, and etc.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: Brand Applications

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Max’s Brand History

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Max’s today

Max’s Brand History

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IMAGE BY RENELLE SALUMBRE OF ESQUIRE PHILIPPINES

Max’s Today

As a brand continuing to expand internationally, Max’s stand today is to promote the Cuisine of the Philippines worldwide.

With branches overseas, Max’s premise changes from “The House that Fried Chicken Built” to “Cuisine of the Philippines.” Jim Fuentebella, a Board Director of Max’s Group Inc., says the goal of the restaurant chain now is to redefine Filipino cuisine abroad.

“Our fried chicken isn’t an acquired taste. It’s tasty and people enjoy it. Once people try it, then start opening themselves up to other Filipino dishes, an awareness for Filipino cuisine will be raised.” he says in an interview with Esquire Philippines.

Regine Rafael of Esquire Philippines says: “Throughout Max’s seven decades of existence, they have slowly done their part in putting Filipino food on the global map. With the first foreign branch opening in 1982 in San Francisco, California, to their more recent restaurant openings in the Middle East, their sarap-to-the-bones fried chicken has reached an even wider audience.”

Truly, the heritage brand with rich historical past and traditions in line continues to live on with its famous fried chicken. More than the food, however, Jim Fuentebella believes that it is generosity and hospitality which keeps the restaurant chain on living. Two values of which their Nanay Ruby taught them, Max’s group remains in the hearts of the Filipino as a brand that is close to home.

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Max’s Brand History

Our lola [Ruby] was an incredibly generous host and it was through food that she was able to make people happy.

Generosity and hospitality, which are virtues my lola lived, are messages we want to communicate on all levels.”

Jim Fuentebella, Board Director Max’s Group Inc.

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Max’s Restaurant Visual Identity: The Basics

Sources: http://cookmagazine.ph/blog/2015/11/07/the-house-that-friedchicken-built-turns-70-this-october/ https://pinoykollektor.blogspot.com/2015/02/99maxs-fried-chicken-restaurant-old. html?showComment=1493685537479#c3872222090036511230 http://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/food-and-drink/fried-chickenfor-the-filipino-soul/?ref=article_related?ref=article_related http://rogue.ph/18-photos-that-show-manila-before-and-afterworld-war-ii/ https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/ exhibit/0gJyQknmPODGJA http://www.historygraphicdesign.com/ http://ncca.gov.ph/subcommissions/subcommission-on-thearts-sca/literary-arts/philippine-literature-in-the-post-war-andcontemporary-period/ chickenlove.ph maxchicken.com fb.com/maxsrestaurant instagram.com/maxschicken twitter.com/maxschicken youtube: Max’s Restaurant Max’s Scout Tuason Branch, Quezon City The designer and researcher does not own any of the photos placed in this magazine. Scanned postcards and menus are from Ed DS, photos of the establishments can be found in Max’s website. All credit goes to the respective owners and photographers.

All scanned materials and flyers are taken from Max’s Scout Tuason Branch in Quezon City.

This is not an official publication of Max’s Restaurant and Max’s Group, Inc.

FA-ID 101.6 Design Theory and History: Philippine Design Final Project: Brand Research and History Prepared by Diana F. David

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