Global creative studio Koto has created a new brand identity for Franki, the social restaurant discovery and rewards platform, centered on the idea of “Make time dance.”
Founded by Eugene Varricchio and Nick Bennett, Franki launched in Austin in 2020 before expanding more broadly in 2021. The app combines short-form video recommendations, personalized discovery and cash-back rewards, allowing users to activate offers, pay with a linked card, earn rewards, and receive additional rewards when their recommendations lead others to visit a restaurant.
According to the release, Franki also provides restaurants with a merchant-funded, performance-based alternative to traditional advertising by charging businesses when content results in a visit and transaction rather than for impressions or clicks.
Koto said the identity was developed to help Franki differentiate itself from established restaurant discovery platforms while communicating the value of its app-based experience and encouraging ongoing user participation.
The new brand is built around the concept of “Make time dance,” reflecting the idea that Franki helps people discover experiences worth their time while encouraging users to contribute recommendations that benefit the wider community.
The verbal identity draws on the Jester archetype, using a conversational tone intended to emphasize warmth, wit, and openness.
The visual identity includes a new symbol designed to represent shared discovery, alongside a wordmark, Diatype Rounded typography, a color palette led by Bright Yellow and Gold, motion elements, and photography focused on candid dining experiences.
The symbol appears throughout the brand system, where it can highlight locations, point to URLs, or function independently across Franki’s product and communications.
The identity has been applied across the platform’s product, content and communications, including Franki Social Club, a program that rewards creators for posting about restaurants and earning cash back through linked card purchases.
“Franki is trying to solve a very human problem: how to spend more of your time doing things you genuinely enjoy,” said Gerald Torto, Senior Strategy Director at Koto.
“The opportunity was to make that utility feel joyful rather than transactional. ‘Make time dance’ gave the brand a clear strategic role, but also an emotional one. Franki helps people find their own beat, then invites them to share it with everyone else.”
“The identity needed to move with the same energy as the product,” said Melissa Baillache, Executive Creative Director at Koto.
“The logo became more than a signature. It morphs into a character that can guide, react and celebrate, giving Franki a clear emotional language across the product. Around it, type, colour, motion and imagery work as one lively system, making every interaction feel warm, intuitive and unmistakably Franki.”
