The Challenge
Pikobara agency partnered with HOMIE, a new restaurant concept in Vienna, to create excitement a year before opening. Our challenge? Make the city eager for a restaurant that didn't even have a kitchen yet.
HOMIE's vision: a unique spot blending food, music, cocktails, and community. But construction hadn't started. Pikobara mission is to make HOMIE feel like Vienna's favourite hangout spot before serving the first dish.
The approach
We developed a full 360° brand launch strategy, including:
Social Media Strategy
- Three-phase approach: Introducing the concept, supporting a pop-up event, and sharing behind-the-scenes content.
- Focused on reels and video content showcasing restaurant life and its 'homies' preparing for the opening.
Visual Design Strategy:
- Created Homie the Cat as the brand mascot, becoming a key element in all visual communications
- Social Media visual development, Layout, Templates
- Created custom illustrations for animated reels
Website Development:
- Two-stage process: Pre-opening teaser content, followed by a full site update for the grand opening
- Bilingual design in German and English
Print Materials:
- Developed various branded materials to support offline presence
Event Activations:
- Created and organized a series of events to introduce the brand before the restaurant's physical existence. Key Events:
HOMIE Pop-Up Party:
Concept: A block party showcasing HOMIE's future soul with curated bites, cocktails, and music. Result: Sold out a week in advance with 271 guests in advance with paid tickets (surpassing the 250 planned capacity). Featured DJ Joris Delacroix as the headliner. Pikobara handled full creative, production, decor, content, and influencer amplification.
Vienna City Marathon Activation:
Created a life-size Homie the Cat mascot to 'run' in the 5K event. Produced a pre-race photoshoot, creating the illusion of the mascot "running toward the grand opening". Developed a series of reels about Homie's marathon adventure, viewed by over 20,000 people.
The results
We transformed a brand with no physical presence into one that people follow, tag, talk about, and eagerly await. Through illustrated storytelling, strategic social media management, influencer partnerships, merchandise production, and real-life event staging, HOMIE became part of Vienna’s cultural rhythm before even opening its doors.
- Over 540,000 reach across all platforms
- 20,000+ interactions
- Average annual ERR: 4.08% - 271 real-life attendees at the pop-up event (sold out 7 days in advance with paid tickets)
- PR support from key nightlife and city culture media in Vienna and 10 top Viennese Influencers -and more than 40+ publication from them during the Pop-Up Party, reach more than 200 000+
- 250+ UGC posts, 270 000+ reach during Vienna City Marathon activation
- A growing loyal community of 700+ people ready to call HOMIE their new favorite spot
In essence, we didn’t just create buzz — we built a home for HOMIE in the hearts of Vienna’s food and culture enthusiasts, long before the first pizza hit the oven.
LET’S DO
SOMETHING
COOL TOGETHER
CONTACTS
Lindengasse 56, 1070 Vienna Austria
