The Halal Meat Factory Northcote

At a glance

Client: The Halal Meat Factory Northcote
Project: Visual identity, product photography and promotional content
Timeline: 5 weeks and ongoing
Role: Creative design, photography, content and digital marketing

Deliverables: Product photography and image library, visual identity, social media content, short-form video and animation, A3 posters, Canva templates, Google Maps content and in-store digital display content.

Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Affinity, Canva, Canon photography equipment, Google Business Profile, Instagram and TikTok. 

Channels: In-store digital displays, shopfront, Instagram, TikTok and Google Maps.

Background

The Halal Meat Factory Northcote is a new Muslim-owned halal butcher on High Street, Northcote, run by the hospitality team behind Sesame & Soul in East Brunswick.

The site had previously operated as a halal butcher under the same name but closed in 2025. The new business reopened on 29 July 2026, offering certified halal beef, lamb, goat, and chicken, alongside a full butchery and deli range, including skewers, sujuk, and dips.

I was brought in two weeks after the opening to help establish the shop’s visual style and create photography, promotional material and digital content. They had attempted to take their own photos, but the results were not ideal and did not present the products strongly to their intended audience.

Situation

The client had created a logo using AI and had already incorporated it into some store signage, but there was no broader visual identity or established style for marketing the business.

They also had no usable product image library, limited promotional material and no established Google Maps presence. Existing product photography had strong pink and purple colour casts, which made the meat look unnatural and unsuitable for advertising.

With the business newly reopened, it needed a simple, consistent visual style that could work across social media, posters, promotional videos and digital displays inside the shop.

Task

My role was to develop a practical visual identity and create the initial campaign assets needed to launch and promote the business.

This included:

• researching competitor butcher and halal food marketing, including promotional language, keywords, social media approaches, product photography and visual presentation.

• researching halal certification and appropriate accreditation marks and logos

• planning and photographing the client’s meat and deli products

• developing a consistent approach to lighting, styling and presenting the products

• creating a reusable library of professionally edited product images

• developing a visual style that could work across print, social media and in-store digital displays

• creating launch and weekly promotional material

• helping establish and improve the business’s Google Maps presence

• creating templates the client could continue using after launch

Action

I worked closely with the owners and staff to develop the visual identity while simultaneously producing the photography and campaign material needed for launch.

Product photography and image library

• Planned close-up, near-macro product photography, testing subtle changes in angle, lighting and positioning to find the most visually appealing shots for advertising.

• Reviewed competitor photography, particularly sausages and beef mince, and shared examples with the client to help improve product presentation and styling.

• Asked the client to organise fresh herbs for the main shoot to add colour, texture and contrast to selected images.

• Colour-corrected (as needed), cleaned up, and cut out selected images to create a reusable product photography library for social media, print, video, in-store displays and potentially a future website or online store.

• Organised a second shoot to photograph additional products and revisit images that I felt could be stronger, showing the client which images could be improved by trying different arrangements and styling.

The shoots were collaborative, with staff helping to prepare and present the products while I directed the photography, assisted with styling, and worked with the client on image selection.

Visual identity and campaign design

I tested several visual approaches, including flat colours, gradients and graphic shapes, before developing a clean, high-contrast style that complemented the existing logo and made the product photography the main visual focus.

I enhanced the client’s existing AI-generated logo to improve its colour, contrast and visual impact, and developed a set of complementary background colours that provided variety while keeping the promotional material consistent.

This created a recognisable visual system that could be applied across A3 posters, Instagram, TikTok and digital displays inside the shop.

Animation, short-form video and social media

Rather than relying only on static promotional graphics, I incorporated simple animation and short-form video to make the weekly specials more engaging on social media and in-store screens.

I created reusable Canva templates that combine product photography, pricing, promotional messages, animation, and calls to action. I also created a reusable animated end screen containing the business’s contact details and opening hours.

The templates were designed so content could be adapted for different products and promotions while maintaining the same overall visual style.

I created promotional copy and hashtags for Instagram and TikTok and produced the first week of promotional content, adapting the campaign when the client changed the launch timing.
See sales promotion week 1 post on TikTok >>.
See sales promotion week 1 post on Instagram >>.

Instagram video for sales promotion week 1

Digital and in-store experience

I helped the client establish their Google Maps presence and correct business information such as opening hours. Because existing Street View imagery showed the previous butcher shop closed, I also photographed the new storefront to provide customers with an up-to-date image of the business.

For the in-store digital displays, I recommended a simple external media player that could play and continuously loop MP4 promotional videos from a USB drive. This made it easier for staff to update promotional content without needing to access USB ports located behind difficult-to-reach screens.

I am continuing to work with the client on how the in-store screens can be used beyond weekly specials and promotions. This includes developing evergreen content (that stays relevant) that can run throughout the day, showcase the broader product range and services, reinforce the shop’s visual identity, and provide useful information to customers. 

The work has also included responsive day-to-day communications. When equipment issues unexpectedly forced the shop to close in mid-August, I quickly created a branded social media graphic explaining the temporary closure and apologising to customers. This gave the business a consistent and professional way to communicate an unexpected operational issue through its social channels. 

Result

Within the short launch timeframe, I created a consistent visual identity and reusable promotional system for the new business across photography, print, social media and in-store digital displays.

Assets included:

• a reusable library of professionally photographed and edited product images

• a consistent graphic style and colour palette

• reusable Canva promotional templates

• animated promotional content

• two short-form social media videos for Instagram and TikTok
  See sales promotion week 1 post on TikTok >>.
  See sales promotion week 1 post on Instagram >>.

• an A3 promotional poster for the shop window

• promotional video content for the in-store digital displays

• reusable animated end screens with business information

• social media promotional copy and hashtags

• an updated Google Maps presence with current business information and photography

The client was very happy with the photography, graphic design and promotional templates.

Importantly, the system was deliberately created in Canva rather than specialist design or animation software. This meant the client received more than a set of finished campaign assets: they had reusable templates, graphics and product photography that could support future promotions and allow staff to create and update their own content.

The project took the business from having a logo and limited marketing materials to a cohesive visual presence across its shopfront, social media, print promotions, product photography, and in-store digital displays. The product photography could also support a future online store or e-commerce platform.

For this project, I intentionally tested different tools and ways of working.

• I used Affinity by Canva for much of the photo editing instead of my usual Adobe Photoshop workflow, adapting my established processes while testing the software for professional content production.

• I used an older Canon compact camera for its reliable white balance and strong close-up/macro capabilities, helping maintain a consistent look across the product photography.

• Photographing inside a working butcher shop was very different from using colour-controlled lighting at home or in a studio. Working around staff, equipment and customers meant shooting quickly and adapting as the store became busier.

• I worked closely with the client and staff, reviewing photos after each product type and adjusting angles, styling and presentation before moving on.