Brand Identity For Ellis Butchers
Blackburn took on its neighborhood butcher — and accepted part of the fee in Christmas meat.
Studio Blackburn developed a cohesive brand identity for Ellis Butchers, a sustainable whole-carcass butcher with two distinct locations in Blackheath. The project balanced heritage and modernity—one shop celebrating tradition with classic design cues, the other embracing a youthful, vibrant aesthetic. A cast of illustrated meat characters brought warmth and humor to the brand, uniting both under a premium, community-focused identity.
Insights- The project grew from a local relationship between Blackburn and Ellis, a century-old whole-carcass butcher in Blackheath.
- Two shops receive distinct voices: traditional green, tile and signwriting for the Village; a younger, louder orange expression for the Standard.
- “Meat Ellis” and the simplified meat characters add warmth and humor while giving both locations one recognizable family.
- When the client’s child was born, Blackburn created a new character named after the baby; the card remains displayed in the shop.
- Creative director Mark Jones described the studio as being paid partly in bags of meat, including turkeys and ham at Christmas.
