As creative lead, I crafted every part of Fortunate Son’s identity, from concept and strategy through illustration, copywriting, print, and merchandising. The name "Fortunate Son" is a direct reference to the 1969 song by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and ‘Fogerty’ is the name they affectionately gave their proprietary sourdough starter used to make their oven-fired crust. As the first restaurant to bring New Haven-style pizza to the Dallas area, this gave me an immediate cue to lean into their pizza style's unique American heritage.

To evoke the spirit of Americana and signal the historical roots of New Haven-style pizza, I built the identity using a vintage-inspired typographic palette, decorative embellishments, and a color scheme of muted red, white, blue, and gold. The central brand mark, a bald eagle with wings made of pizza slices, appears across packaging, signage, and apparel, positioned as a symbol of proud American craftsmanship. The brand’s design draws on American cultural history—from the iconic 1969 song that inspired the name, to the New Haven-style pizza tradition originating in Connecticut—so understanding these references deepens appreciation for the identity’s homage to authentic American craft and regional food heritage.

From Wooster Street in New Haven to Main Street in Garland, every brand detail was crafted to feel storied yet fresh. The placement of the work, from pizza boxes to window clings, became vital to the brand’s visibility. One such cling's statement, "From Wooster Street to Main Street," caught the attention of Dave Portnoy (Barstool Sports), whose surprise visit sparked viral attention, press coverage, and overwhelming local demand. Fortunate Son quickly became more than a local eatery—it emerged as a national destination for New Haven-style pizza, drawing attention far beyond Garland and putting this uniquely American tradition on the map in North Texas.