ASUKA JAPANESE KITCHEN
- 002: Momentum Brand Package
- Marketing Collateral: Social Media Templates, Loyalty Card, Store Wallpaper Design
Asuka Japanese Kitchen is a fast-growing quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand with four locations across Australia. They’re known for fresh, flavourful, and authentic Japanese food – served fast and consistently.
WHY DID THEY NEED US?
While they wanted to retain their original brand mark, Asuka needed a full visual identity system to align with their evolving brand direction. They were looking for something modern, edgy, and culturally grounded – more akin to bold, fast-moving global brands like Panda Express or Sushi Hub, and less like traditional Japanese fine dining. The main goals were:
- Create a confident, edgy brand without compromising authenticity
- Appeal to a broad audience (18–45): students, families, young professionals
- Visually and verbally stand out from other Japanese QSR restaurants
- Design a cohesive system that works across all key touchpoints: signage, packaging, digital, franchise assets, and social media
THE CHALLENGE
The existing brand identity was more like a high-end Japanese restaurant than a vibrant, fast-paced QSR – it felt too refined and formal. The challenge was to reposition Asuka visually: retain their commitment to quality and authenticity, but inject a bold, rebellious energy that reflects their vision for growth in the competitive fast-casual space.
HOW DID WE DO IT?
We began by creating mood boards to spark discussion and guide direction. These explored colour, tone, and visual elements to help the client visualise different possibilities. We led a strategic workshop asking questions like:
- Which moodboard best captures your brand’s future?
- What would resonate most with your audience – not just your personal taste?
- Which direction has long-term potential?
- How do you want customers to perceive Asuka?
- How do you want customers to feel when coming across Asuka?
This helped us co-create a vision that balanced customer appeal with distinctiveness and brand longevity.
WHY DID WE DESIGN IT THIS WAY?
We fused modern boldness with cultural nuance.
- Colour: A rich indigo nods to Japanese heritage, balanced by warm salmon and soft cream tones inspired by sushi and sashimi – delivering both flavour and friendliness.
- Typography: A chunky, slightly edgy sans-serif font adds confidence and stands out on signage and packaging. The overall tone is approachable yet bold & impactful.
- Illustration & Pattern: Clean, geometric icons (sushi rolls, chopsticks) keep things cohesive. Subtle patterns inspired by traditional Japanese waves and sashimi textures add depth.
The identity is bold, playful, and rebellious – with enough sophistication to ensure it stays modern and scalable.
THE RESULT
We delivered a flexible brand toolkit including:
001
A full responsive logo suite: Primary, secondary, brandmark & emblem/badge logos for versatile use across different contexts
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A distinct colour palette, updated wordmark, and brand typography
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Iconography, patterns, textures, and cohesive brand assets for all applications
The rebrand successfully shifted Asuka from a fine dining impression to a confident, contemporary QSR brand – positioned for franchise growth and global recognition.
YOUR BRAND IS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION.
What's yours saying?