Illustration by Jonny Ruzzo
We recently spoke to Stephanie Lindsay, founder of creative agency Zest Cincy about her path to influencer status and what good photos can do for a restaurant or bar’s online presence.
Tell me about your background.
I was born and raised in Cincy, and now live in Newport. I’ve been in the graphic design field for over 15 years, and have run my own creative agency, Slay Design Studio, for nine years.
How would you describe Zest Cincy?
Zest Cincy is a design-focused influencer and creative agency that highlights the hottest local restaurants as well as unique food and beverage brands.
When and how did you come up with this concept?
I’ve always loved eating and drinking, and have always been in the know on the best spots in town, so I decided to turn that passion into an Instagram page in 2018. It started as a happy hour resource, but quickly pivoted after COVID, and has evolved over the years.
Why is a service like this important?
Local influencers help bridge the gap between businesses and their local audiences, and have a strong connection with their communities, making their content more relatable and trustworthy. In addition, Zest also offers tangible creative assets such as professional photography to businesses, which removes a task off their busy schedules, leaving it in the hands of experts.
How do you think good promotional photos/materials help businesses succeed?
Consistent, professional imagery helps elevate your brand, connects you to your audience in a more meaningful way, and creates a positive first impression. In many cases, the first interaction a potential customer has with a business is through its photos on a website or social media.
Who has been your favorite client to work with so far?
I personally love any opportunity to get creative with styling and art direction for lifestyle photoshoots. My favorite shoots have been with local businesses like Domo, Goosefoot Cook & Grow, Terratorium Wines, and In the Curious Kitchen. I also love doing studio/product photography for funky brands like Fruitblood because their style is right in line with mine.
How did photographer Catie Viox end up coming on board?
We actually met at Cincinnati Magazine’s Best Restaurants event at Braxton Brewing Company in 2020. A few months later, I saw Catie post on her story that she got let go from Cincy Refined and was looking for work. So I DM’ed her and was like, “Hey, I can’t pay you but let’s try to work together.” Now, we’ve done hundreds of shoots together over the past four years and are besties.
What are your future plans for Zest Cincy?
I’ve always tried to go with the flow and allow Zest to evolve naturally. Previously, Zest primarily highlighted local restaurants’ happy hours, weekly specials, hot new spots, and my personal favorite spots in town. While we obviously enjoy capturing Cincinnati’s bar and restaurant scenes, we’re also passionate and skilled in other creative areas like studio and lifestyle photography as well as branding, and don’t want to confine ourselves to just local restaurants.
Facebook Comments