“Founded in 1995 on Dallas’ Lemmon Avenue, Hook Line & Sinker (HLS) has been serving Dallas residents for more than 25 years. The seafood shack inspired by those on the Gulf Coast offering fried catfish, shrimp, and oysters as well as grilled fish selections like salmon and rainbow trout, Hook Line & Sinker was managed by Del Sur Restaurant Group. Founded by Markus Pineyro and John E. Tuma, Del Sur combined the passions of both Dallas restaurateurs and their brands.
The Challenge:
Hook Line & Sinker wasn’t new to the game, they were the game. But 28 years in, their story had gone a little quiet. There was no strong digital presence. No content strategy. No updated visual identity. It needed a revival, not a rebrand, something true to its DNA.
The Insight:
What makes a place stick around for nearly three decades isn’t marketing, it’s memory. Our job wasn’t to reinvent HLS, it was to reflect what people already loved about it, and amplify it with just enough edge to bring in the next generation.
The Execution:
We dove into the archive. We sat in the booths. We ate the catfish. Then we built a content forward strategy that mixed nostalgia with flavor. We created a voice that felt like the servers: casual, sharp, always ready with a one liner. Then we wrapped it all in a style system that looked weathered but worked across modern platforms.
Tone of Voice + Brand Copy System
Photography Direction (menu, behind the scenes, legacy moments)
Menu Styling + In-Store Signage
Website Content + Strategy
Meta + IG Ads
The Result:
In 90 days, Hook Line & Sinker’s digital footprint went from low traction to highly engaged. The new content brought old fans back and gave newcomers a reason to check it out. CTR on paid ads outperformed expectations. People reposted the content with pride. And the update didn’t erase the grit, it honored it.
Behind The Scenes Notes:
We kept the iconic green baskets in every shoot.
Used archival photos as overlays in digital posts. Even let some of their staff help pick the taglines. Most of them hit harder than most agency copy.
Quote:
“It still feels like the old Hook. Just louder. Just clearer. Just right.” — Longtime Customer
Got a story that hasn’t been told yet? We’re here to help you shape it.”
