Core insight

Any brand debuting on the London restaurant scene needs to do so with a bang, or it will fail. So our brand for Ichibuns had to bring the noise. So, turning up the volume and the contrast, we created a unique brand identity and dining experience that would define a new category: the Japanese super diner.

Approach

Working closely with Robin Leigh, his team, and Noriyoshi’s Tokyo-based Studio Glitt, we made the Ichibuns brand from scratch. Drawing inspiration from Japan’s culinary capital Hokkaido, Tadanori Yokoo’s psychedelic pop art, and the country’s cutesy kawaii culture, we created a vibrant brandscape of vintage imagery and Japanese iconography. Our brand mark, logotype, and messaging were inspired by a place (Hokkaido), a time (Sh?wa era Japan), and a creative-cultural revolution that gave birth to modern Japan.

Execution

We created an identity of layers that can be mixed and matched, simplified, or amplified, depending on the application. Wherever the brand appears, it can be adapted to its environment, such as interiors, packaging, online, etc. The effect was chaotic, eclectic, and hypnotic. We aimed to create an evocative and memorable brand identity that would be more original and richly woven with meaning than other restaurant brands in the same space.