FRESH, CHEEKY AND HANSEATIC

AHOI by Steffen Henssler is the most accessible brand in the Henssler universe – developed with the goal of introducing new audiences to the brand. Culinarily uncompromising, but deliberately approachable in price, tone and attitude. Unlike the established restaurants Henssler & Henssler or Ono, AHOI speaks to a broader, more democratised audience – more direct, cheekier, more approachable. The challenge: to design a brand world that makes this democratisation of the Henssler brand credible, without losing character and quality.

The starting point was a clear strategic positioning: AHOI as an urban harbour bistro with a clear edge – inspired by street food, sailor slang and north German honesty. Accordingly, a tone was developed that brings exactly that to the point: loud, punchy, sometimes coarse – but always likeable and on equal footing.

The communication speaks directly, avoids detours and formulates an attitude that makes it clear: this is about the food. And nothing else.

The spatial concept was a central part of this: the interior design consistently translates the brand idea into physical space. Industrial materials, open structures and graphic interventions create a deliberately unpolished look that reinterprets the atmosphere between harbour and street food. Typographically animated walls, wayfinding systems and analogue markings in the space pick up on design elements and connect them to concrete usage requirements.

Beyond classic branding and interior, the brand world was also extended into the digital space. The tone and visual language show up in social media assets and digital applications just as much as at the POS. A specially staged Instagram spot within the interior connects the physical space with the digital brand presence and invites playful interaction.