Case Study : Guinness Open Gate Brewery - London
Case Study: Food Photography for Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Covent Garden
Bringing Guinness’s New Covent Garden Open Gate Brewery to Life Through Food Photography
The Brief :
Ahead of the highly anticipated launch of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Covent Garden, London, the Guinness marketing team required striking, high-quality food photography to support early-stage promotion and brand storytelling.
The marketing team needed professional food imagery that could be used across digital marketing, press, and social media campaigns to build excitement well before opening.
Our Approach:
Working closely with the Guinness marketing team and renowned chef Pip Lacey, we developed two clearly defined visual styles to represent each dining concept within the Open Gate Brewery.
A light, bright, contemporary food photography style, designed to showcase fresh, modern dishes with a clean, editorial feel.
A darker, moodier aesthetic, rich in tone and texture, subtly referencing Guinness’s iconic palette and heritage while conveying warmth and depth.
Once the creative direction was approved, we planned and executed a dedicated food photography shoot. Chef Pip Lacey prepared a curated selection of hero dishes, while we designed bespoke set ups to capture the atmosphere of each restaurant.
Through careful control of lighting, styling, colour, composition, and amazing teamwork, we created imagery ahead of the official opening.
The Results:
The final collection delivered a strong suit of commercial food photography. The Guinness team received a versatile library of high-impact food images ready for use across:
Marketing and launch campaigns
Press and PR materials
Social media and digital platforms
Crucially, the imagery allowed the brand to begin telling the story of the Open Gate Brewery Covent Garden months ahead of opening, generating anticipation and engagement while maintaining brand consistency.
Collaborating with the Guinness team on such a confidential and creatively ambitious project was a genuine pleasure. Capturing these dishes while honouring the heritage of one of the world’s most iconic brands was both inspiring and rewarding—and we can finally talk about it.
Client: Guinness Open Gate Brewery London
Photographer: Giles Christopher
Producer: Abigail Cockroft
Chef: Pip Lacey and her team
Prop Stylist: Tamsin Weston
