'ello is a new, highly Instagrammable dessert eatery concept serving artisanally handcrafted, high-end donuts with a pop-up operation style. They were inspired by modern bakeries in the West and wanted to bring something completely new to the confectionary market in Hong Kong. They needed a visual identity that could marry both art & design with food for their launch.
Process
kith&kin worked with the client to create a new visual identity, name and packaging system for the new high-end, pop-up dessert concept. We worked with them in a series of workshops that helped us both get a clearer sense of the direction for the dessert concept. A key insight from the workshops was that they were not afraid to stand out from the confectionary market in Hong Kong. They wanted to be highly Instagrammable with an ultra modern and clean feel.
Naming
We subsequently ran a naming workshop, keeping in mind to create an interactive and playful concept. The word 'ello was chosen for its friendliness, paired with a long dash to represent playfulness. The dash allows for user participation, customisation and interaction.
Design
The chosen 'ello name influenced our design process and mood boards. We wanted the experience of eating at 'ello to feel almost theatrical and extra. As the 'ello products are of a higher price point, we knew that the target market would be slightly older, people who grew up in the 80s and 90s. We wanted to bring back a sense of nostalgia for these consumers, and so our design was inspired by sticker collections and vending machines.
The visual identity reflects our sense for nostalgia but with a clean and modern take; we used matte mirror board and neon colours. We also developed 20-30 custom stickers for them to use. These stickers clearly show the playfulness of the brand and let the user become a part of the identity. They give 'ello a unique proposition to the competitive confectionery market in Hong Kong. Furthermore, research has found that increased interaction with customers can help strengthen brand loyalty and create a competitive advantage.
Packaging & Collaterals
We wanted the food and eating experience to be theatrical and fun. We spent time on the mechanics of the packaging to give customers a dramatic food package opening experience. The sliding box design paired with the printed tissue gives the customer an exciting "unboxing" style food experience.
We also ensured the visual identity seamlessly flowed into the other collaterals. We created stickered cups, neon tote bags and t-shirts, puffy stickers, pin badges as well as a custom kombucha and craft beer label. Carbon Brews, another client of ours, paired up with 'ello to create a new craft beer flavour for the pop-up. The light citrusy and sour beer is made to complement the food. We designed a label that married the two brand identities together by using the original Carbon Brews label but making it holographic and filled with stickers.
Website
We created a custom website that had all the key brand attributes, was easy to use and gave customers all the required information needed in a short time without unnecessary clicks. Instead of using a template, we custom-built the website and user experience so that the quirkiness of the brand translated over smoothly from the offline space into a digital space.
Pop-up Space
For the pop-up space design, we partnered up with UniteUnit to help create a space that was flexible and adhered to their pop-up style business plan. The physical components of the pop-up can be easily stored, removed and built again elsewhere. We consulted UniteUnit to ensure the visual identity was fully incorporated into the pop-up space design. Mirrored surfaces and plenty of neon colours reflect the design of the packaging. The quirky design features on the table surfaces make the space highly Instagrammable. The space further emphasises customer participation by including a vending machine that sells merchandise that the customers can take home with them.
Outcome
'ello had a super successful launch and has been featured in Hong Kong's top lifestyle press including TimeOut, WOM Guide, Tatler and Marie Claire. They have also had a subsequent collaboration with fashion brand, D-Mop. As a result, 'ello has already enjoyed steady and healthy organic growth on their social media platforms. The driver behind the organic growth was achieved by having varied content on their social media channels such as promotional offers and most importantly, user-generated content.
