Smash Burger Bar in Bahrain
In June 2025, Hilton Bahrain Residences launched Super Bass, a high-end yet playful smash-burger concept serving locals, expats, and multi-generational families. Situated in the Seef District, the brand needed to perform double duty: delivering vibrant, crowd-pleasing dining indoors while also serving as the go-to poolside comfort-food destination.
Our scope covered brand strategy, design, and rollout — creating a look and feel that made Super Bass instantly identifiable and distinct in Bahrain’s competitive burger scene. While the name Super Bass was provided, we built a tone of voice and design language that matched its bold promise, incorporating nostalgic ’90s slang into menus and marketing to connect across age groups.
Bahrain’s burger market is saturated, with numerous international and local players vying for attention. Super Bass had to stand out as both a premium experience and a fun, approachable brand — nostalgic enough for millennials and older generations, yet cool and current for Gen Z.
The venue also had to bridge two very different environments: a lively, modern-nostalgic indoor restaurant and a relaxed, sun-soaked pool bar. Added to this were Middle Eastern sensitivities, requiring careful design choices in characters and gestures.
We crafted a visual identity that juxtaposed bubblegum pop colours with rich black and cream accents, creating a balance of fun and sophistication. The juicy, slightly “squashed” logo took inspiration from the smash-burger technique, paired with custom typography and playful menu language to build personality at every touchpoint.
Key elements included:
Tone of Voice: Playful 90’s slang integrated into menu descriptions and signage, creating an immediate sense of character.
Sensory Branding: Bold colours, tactile packaging, upbeat playlist, and visually rich interiors to create memorable multi-sensory moments.
Sustainability Storytelling: Highlighting provenance of ingredients and sustainable practices, with recyclable paper packaging and compostable plastics for takeaway.
Interior Style: Modern-nostalgic design with subtle ’90s gaming cues, neon accents, street-art-inspired graphics, and booth seating for a social, family-friendly atmosphere.
Packaging Design: Character-driven illustrations used across custom boxes, cups, and bags — all designed to be Instagram-ready.
Seamless Indoor–Outdoor Branding: Pool bar signage, menus, and serviceware reflected the core identity, ensuring guests felt the same brand energy whether indoors or poolside.
