Mini Brahim
Refreshing a Moroccan convenience favourite with a character-led identity system.
Bring Mini Brahim up to date, keep the affection people already had for it, and make it work across forecourts and standalone stores, without losing its Moroccan warmth.
Mini Brahim had strong recognition across Morocco, but the identity had started to feel dated. The brief was to reimagine the brand around Mr. Brahim, the friendly character customers already connected with, and align it visually and tonally with Afriquia. It needed to feel modern, welcoming and clear at speed in a 24/7 forecourt setting, while also holding its own in larger, independent stores.
The project
A character-first system, built with the discipline of a branding consultancy and the pace of real-world retail
1. Character development
We explored more than 100 Mr. Brahim concepts to find a look that could flex across formats and still feel like one person. The aim was friendliness without gimmick, a face you would trust at 2am on a forecourt, and still welcome in a deli-style store.
2. Brand strategy
We positioned Mini Brahim as service-led with traditional values. Staff behaviours were defined as welcoming, warm, fun, knowledgeable and responsive. Expressive brand values were honest, innovative, helpful and energetic, giving the identity a clear human tone to work from.
3. Brand architecture
As a branding company working across retail formats, we built a simple architecture: Mini Brahim for smaller, convenience-first forecourt stores, and Super Brahim for larger standalone locations with a more curated, deli-style feel. One system, two expressions, no confusion.
The identity
The identity keeps the original yellow to hold onto familiarity and warmth, then pairs it with deep charcoal grey for contrast and a more contemporary feel. Mr. Brahim appears in two formats: a relaxed, shirt-wearing version for Mini Brahim, and a striped apron version for Super Brahim to signal a more curated offer. The tone of voice is warm, witty and down-to-earth, designed to feel like a helpful presence rather than a sales message.
Brand application
From forecourt speed to deli-style browsing, the brand was designed to hold up in real retail moments
The system was applied across store formats and touchpoints, keeping recognition high while allowing the experience to shift with context. Private label packaging brought the personality to life through cheerful, simple designs across snacks, drinks and grocery essentials. We also led the retail interiors, using natural light timbers, vibrant yellow tiles and dark grey fixtures to create spaces that feel modern, bright and approachable, whether compact and functional or larger and more considered.
The result
A much-loved local brand, updated with clarity, character and a system that scales across Morocco
Mini Brahim moved from dated to current without dropping the cues people trusted. The refreshed Mr. Brahim character gives the brand a consistent human presence, and the strategy anchors that personality in service behaviours and values that staff can actually deliver. The Mini Brahim and Super Brahim structure also gives the business a clear way to grow without fragmenting the brand.
The identity system was designed to perform across two retail formats and multiple locations, from 24/7 forecourts within Afriquia environments to larger standalone stores. The private label range extends the brand into everyday purchases, creating more branded moments across categories. As a branding agency and branding consultancy, the focus stayed on building a repeatable system rather than a one-off refresh.
The work covered brand strategy, character development, brand architecture, visual identity, private label design and retail interiors. The system was built to align with Afriquia while keeping Mini Brahim’s own voice and heritage intact. Two character variants support two store formats, and the environment design reinforces the same warmth and clarity in physical space. A practical, scalable outcome from a London branding agency built for day-to-day retail reality.
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