Cookie
A brand refresh that balances personality, storytelling, and eclectic flair.
Cookie is a long-standing Melbourne institution — a Thai restaurant, beer hall and cocktail bar tucked away on the first floor of Curtin House on Swanston Street. Hidden above street level, it reveals itself gradually as guests climb the stairs into a cavernous room with soaring ceilings and Juliet balconies overlooking the city.
The interior is intentionally overwhelming, with walls layered in vintage toys, books, board games, vinyl and ephemera. Projections and candlelight shift the atmosphere from day to night, while a vast marble bar anchors the space, backed by towering shelves of spirits.
Despite the visual chaos and scale, the experience is grounded in warm hospitality, with knowledgeable staff guiding guests through the venue and its menus.
Deliverables
Brand Identity Refresh
Integrated Campaigns
Website Design
Print & Publication Design
Motion Design
Copywriting
Art Direction
Following Melbourne’s extended COVID lockdowns, Cookie used the pause to reflect on how the venue could evolve while staying true to its identity. The refresh focused on refinement rather than reinvention — simplifying key brand elements while preserving its playful, slightly chaotic character.
A major focus was the venue’s extensive menus. Previously spread across multiple publications — including the oversized “wine bible” — the drinks offering was consolidated into a single tabbed binder with clear sections for beer, wine, cocktails and spirits. Design details drew from the interiors, with lace doilies and colourful tablecloths inspiring decorative borders, while animal silhouettes appear sparingly throughout — adding personality without compromising clarity.
The food menu followed the same approach: clear, concise and easy to navigate, with staff guiding guests through the rest.
The original logo was redrawn to remove decorative shading and filigree, leaving a cleaner wordmark while retaining its distinctive personality. Woodland creature illustrations previously embedded in the logo were removed and repurposed as a flexible graphic language across menus, campaigns and digital touchpoints. The refreshed identity balanced clarity and usability with the venue’s existing sense of whimsy.
Additional printed pieces extended the refreshed identity throughout the venue. A series of business cards was developed for different managers and roles, each featuring archival illustrations sourced from the Little Golden Books collection found throughout Cookie. A white border framed each image, referencing the visual language of vintage children’s books.
Coasters and other small brand touchpoints carried the simplified Cookie logo throughout the space, reinforcing the identity across everyday moments of the guest experience.
The refreshed identity extended into Cookie’s digital presence, including a redesigned website and integrated campaigns across social media, email and in-venue promotion. The website embraced bold colour, full-bleed imagery and subtle animation while prioritising clear navigation for the venue’s extensive menus.
Promotional campaigns — including Happy Hour and a Sunday Bottomless Lunch series — introduced collage-style motion graphics created from cut-out photography of drinks, dishes and tableware. These playful compositions referenced the layered environment of the venue while highlighting the vibrancy of Thai food and Cookie’s diverse food and drinks offering.
Campaign emails reflected Cookie’s warm, personable tone, sharing stories from the venue alongside new menu highlights, promotions and events. Designed to feel visually rich yet easy to scan, the emails combined bold colour, photography and clear hierarchy to bring the energy of the venue into a digital format.
Together, these elements formed a cohesive identity system across print and digital, balancing clarity with the venue’s naturally eclectic character. The refresh respected Cookie’s twenty-year history while making the experience clearer and more accessible for a new generation of guests.
Photography: Amy Thompson, Dylan Kindermann, Melissa Butters
Original animal illustrations: Beci Orpin
