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RESTAURANT REBRANDING
Sakesan Sushi & Robata

Solo Project

My Role

VI Designer

UX/UI Designer

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My Responsibility

Concept
Research
Design System
Visuals
Interaction

Design Tools

Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator

Duration

2023

  • Overview

The Sakesan Sushi & Robata rebranding focuses on enhancing brand identity and drawing diners with a modern, authentic Japanese aesthetic. This project covers identity design, updated menus, packaging, and digital advertising to showcase its delicious sushi and robata aki. The website redesign prioritizes a sleek, mobile-friendly experience with easy access to menus and reservations. Environmental design focuses on prominent logo placement and subtle, cohesive brand elements in signage and decor, creating an inviting, minimalist ambiance. Through cohesive design across digital and physical touchpoint, Sakesan aims to captivate guests with a refined dining experience.

  • Hightlights

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  • Problem

SIGNAGE - THE LOGO DOESN'T STAND OUT

  • Color Issue: The light grey color of the name blends too closely with the concrete street, making it less noticeable

  • Visibility Problem: The name "Sakesan" uses the same color as the backboard, making it hard to recognize from a distance

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MENU - NO IMAGES AT ALL

  • Text-heavy and not visually friendly

  • Poor organization, especially with separated papers

  • Confusing for first-time visitors to understand dishes

  • Time-consuming for returning guests to find specific items

  • Relies heavily on waiters or online searches, increasing communication and time costs

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IMPACT

Due to the inefficiency of ordering services, it lowers passenger capacity. People needs to wait for longer time without reservations. There is also not enough seats are available for the guests while waiting. The costs of time totally transfer to the guests which makes them get more hungry and uncomfortable after joining the queue.

  • Competitive Analysis

1. SAKESAN SUSHI & BRISTO

Sakesan Sushi and Bistro is a Japanese sushi bar, serving the most delicious sushi and robata yaki, served in a modern atmosphere.

Logo

  • Logo: Modern & Handwriting Typography, Illustration

  • Color: Black & Light Grey

Website

  • Typography: Sans serif font for navigation, Serif for font body

  • Menu: Words only

  • Navigation includes 8 categories (e.g., Home, Menu, Gallery, Location)

  • Home: Introduction, services list, and reservations

  • Menu: No food photos; uses varied fonts for names and ingredients

  • Gallery: Restaurant and food photos, but inconsistent sizes look messy

2. OKAERI JAPANESE BISTRO

Okaeri Japanese Bistro is a Japanese sushi bar, offering a
selection of unique fusion dishes that blend traditional Japanese flavors with modern culinary techniques.

Logo

  • Logo: Modern, Watercolor Painting

  • Color: Black & Brown

Website

  • Typography: Sans serif font

  • Menu: Both types and photos

  • Navigation: Two main categories: Food and Drinks, with menu categories for easy browsing.

  • Consistency: Photos are all the same size for a clean and cohesive look.

  • Design: Simple layout with great font choice for clear hierarchy.

  • Functionality: Guests can order and checkout directly on the website.

How might we reimagine Sakesan Sushi & Robata's brand identity to captivate diners by blending modern Japanese aesthetics with a seamless digital and physical dining experience?

  • Concept

Brainstorming Wordlist

Key Words

Goal

Fusion
Fun
Romantic
Creative
Vibrant
Cozy
Hedonisitc
Innovative

Lively
Elegant
Diverse
Elegant
Diverse
Family-friendy
Trendy
Sustainable

Fusion
Romantic
Dedonistic

Enhance brand identity and in-restaurant interactive experience

Tasks

Emotions

Relaxed

Casual

Sophisticated

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Redesign the brand
A set of brand guidelines
A set of mocked-up print collateral
Advertisements
Mockup of restaurant’s website and interactive menu

  • Identity Design

THE LOGO

Sakesan Sushi & Robata’s logo is the combination of a fish icon and wordmarks. The fun symbol of fish which is also incorporated with letter S. The script-type face represents the artisanal nature of a sushi restaurant that rely upon staff expertise. Last but not least, it gives a sense of modernism with a sans serif wordmark at the bottom.

BRAND GUIDELINE

MINIMUM SIZES

Digital

To ensure legibility and impact, the Sakasan Sushi & Robata’s logo should never be reproduced smaller than 150px in any digital communication.

Print

To ensure legibility and impact, the Sakasan Sushi & Robata’s logo should never be reproduced smaller than 1 inch wide in any print communication.

FORBIDDEN USAGE

TYPEFACE & COLOR

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  • Colleteral

BUSINESS CARD

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Rcommendations

Alternatives #1

Alternatives #2

SIGNAGE

PACKAGES

MERCHANDISE

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  • Advertising

SOCIAL MEDIA

SIDEWALK DISPLAY

  • Interactive Design

IPAD AIR/ IPAD MINI

ICONOGRAPHY

  • Website Design

HOME

GALLERY

ABOUT

  • Environmental Design

  • Takeaways

Crafting Cohesive Experiences: Balancing Authenticity and Functionality

Rebranding Sakesan Sushi & Robata taught me the importance of crafting a cohesive brand identity that seamlessly integrates digital and physical touchpoints. I developed skills in unifying visual elements, such as menus, packaging, digital advertising, and environmental design, to reflect an authentic Japanese aesthetic. This project also enhanced my ability to create user-focused solutions, including a mobile-friendly website with streamlined navigation and reservations, while incorporating subtle branding into the dining environment. Ultimately, I learned how to balance aesthetics and functionality to deliver a polished and memorable customer experience.

Portfolio Showcase
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