Original concepts localised everywhere.

Icon Brands Global secured the UK rights to two established US dining concepts, but bringing a hospitality brand into a new market is rarely straightforward. Consumer expectations, tone, service culture and even humour shift from country to country, and concepts that work effortlessly in one market can feel out of place in another.

The group needed more than a marketing agency. They needed a partner who could help adapt the brands for UK audiences without stripping away the personality that made them successful in the first place. Alongside brand positioning and creative direction, they also needed the operational foundations to support long-term growth: content systems, customer retention infrastructure and scalable digital processes.

As the relationship developed, the scope expanded further. Beyond localising existing concepts, IBG wanted to create entirely new hospitality brands capable of scaling internationally across the UK, Central Asia and the Middle East.

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We began by refining both US concepts for the UK market. That meant revisiting positioning, messaging and creative direction to ensure the brands felt culturally relevant and commercially competitive for British diners, rather than like direct imports. The focus throughout was on preserving the strengths of each concept while making them feel native to their new market.

Alongside the brand work, we built the digital and retention infrastructure behind the businesses. We implemented a content management system to support day-to-day operations and launched lifecycle email flows designed to drive repeat visits, customer loyalty and long-term value from the outset.

From there, the partnership evolved into concept creation. Working closely with the IBG team, we developed two entirely original dining brands from the ground up, shaping everything from positioning and naming through to creative direction and launch strategy.

Once established in the UK, we then adapted those concepts again for international expansion across Central Asia and the Middle East. This involved localised messaging, region-specific positioning and culturally aware creative, allowing each brand to scale into new territories without losing identity or personality.

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