Asian House
A brand universe that reimagines Asian cuisine
60 years after Asian food entered Spain, a new and standardized way of tasting and imagining this cuisine has arrived. Asian House's proposal is unique in the market, totally different from what we found in any of the oriental restaurants we had in our country until now. That is a critical strategic issue for the business, the brand, and its identity.
Although they share some dishes, Asian House differs significantly from Chinese family establishments. It was the first Asian proposal to settle in our cities, which had spent decades betting on their own recipes and, on many occasions, to differentiate themselves in price. Nor is it similar to other proposals such as Japanese, Korean or Thai food. For 15 years, we have had numerous Asian options in specialized restaurants and as part of the menu of other establishments with different price ranges. Because sushi, gyozas or baos, unlike Chinese food, have merged naturally with our local dishes. The variety and diversity of options are extensive. But what Asian House proposes has never been done before... in Asian food. Asian House was born as a chain of restaurants to standardize and promote Asian food. A new way to taste and imagine this cuisine, one of our favorites, in an easier, more comfortable, healthier and happier way.
Brand strategy as a driving force
That flavor standardization that comforts us so much in hamburger and pizza chains, as well as the evolution from fast food to fast good, comes to Spain for the first time thanks to the Asian House team, with Jiaping, Zapeando collaborator and MasterChef Celebrity participant, serving as its best ambassador.
At Soluble, we are lucky to accompany them from the start, developing an authentic brand strategy that speaks to the sector's codes and understands business's needs. A path that they have just started, with the launch of the delivery service, and that we are promoting with a cohesive brand universe that enhances the brand experience in every touchpoint.
Reimagining Asia with Western Codes
The project was born to offer a new way of imagining and tasting Asian food. This marked the strategy and was the key to building the brand identity. In the case of the visual identity, this idea was translated into a creative concept that would inspire all decisions: to reimagine the Asian imaginary, and to do so, moreover, from an intentionally Western perspective.
One of the most recognizable elements when thinking about Asian food is the menus of Chinese restaurants, with their red letters and white backgrounds. We have all had several in our mailbox and probably some hanging on the fridge. Something so present in our Asian imaginary was an excellent starting point for reimagining. And so we did. Instead of avoiding those codes to differentiate the Asian House proposal, which was born as an Asian restaurant different from everything known so far in our country, or fight against the stereotypes we have in the West, we opted to appropriate all of it and transform it to suit our strategy. Thus, those illustrations of pagodas, the Asian temples that we all have in mind when we think of the continent, common to almost all Chinese restaurant menus, gave life to the Asian House logo.
The importance of home
A logo in which the pagoda is shown as Westernized, minimalist, and geometric abstraction integrated into the "h" of the "house." It is a subtle, elegant gesture reminiscent of a roof, which, moreover, in Chinese, is the graphic representation of the word "person" (人). House and person are the two keys to the Asian House experience. That letter and that pagoda gesture will have much more development in the identity and will serve as the brand's isotype.
We reinterpreted many other elements from the menus that will become our graphic system. We also appropriated the red rectangles, with their condensed texts, that highlight the focal points of traditional Chinese restaurant signage. In addition to a visual impact consistent with our creative concept, they will help us make the messages more legible on any photographic background we choose in the compositions.
Asian House's proposal to reimagine Asian flavors marked an obvious path to achieving it: the key was that everything should be easy. This was part of the visual identity in all decisions and radically defined the choice of the brand's color palette—a palette in which only three colors are included. Red, the main protagonist, is reimagined in a more cheerful tone. Accompanied by black, not totally black, and white, not totally white, it is easier to read at all brand touchpoints.
Messages for activating the senses
The typographies of the Asian House universe also refer to those menus but with a more modern and Westernized family. We combine condensed typography with more rounded, relaxed typography, alternating more relaxed points with others of contrast and attention.
This graphic system is the perfect framework for a communication in which we seek to awaken desire. Asian House's verbal identity establishes guidelines for brand messages that are clear, adapted to the communicative needs of each moment and point of contact, and always bright. With a vibrant tone of voice, we enhance enjoyment, playfulness, and a touch of irony. We can be reflective if necessary, but without losing our lightness.
These oral expression resources also closely follow the brand strategy, and the importance of ease is very present, as much as that of enjoyment. Thus, we always address you. We want to activate your senses and now is the time. We will mix languages and use words that help us reimagine flavors with our unique palette: Umami Ohmama. Hottie Dokie. We also facilitate with our verbal identity, being consistent and precise in identifying the location of each of the Asian House restaurants.
We keep playing with fortune cookies as inspiration; we reinterpret proverbs, sayings and proverbs from different cultures. Adapting them to show the chill, comfortable and tasty side of life. In bad weather, miso soup. Less noise and a lot of mochi.
Looks good, feels good
That chill and tasty side is seen and even felt with the use of photography. We choose images with an analogical feeling, zoom in on the plate, and enhance the use of bright, cheerful, saturated colors, adding in the compositions those rectangles with text that we find in the menus.
A whole brand universe for Asian House, formed by elements that are familiar to us but quickly speak of something different, reimagined. A new fast-good experience, where everything is easy, tastes good and makes us feel welcome, at ease, and happy. In the restaurant, of course, but also at home with the delivery service and at any digital point of contact. From our Asian House to the world.