Conceived by two sisters who grew up fighting over the last taro ball in shaved ice and the crispy edges of bubble waffles, Oh, Ai! is a cafe that encapsulates that aggressive love for sharing delicious food. through affordable menu items inspired by iconic chinese flavors and designed to be shared, Oh, Ai! is a cafe that invites friends, family, and community from all walks of life to reconnect with the nostalgia of growing up through food and drink.
Oh, Ai is playful not only in its sharable treats, but in iconic packaging and collectible apparel. Its approachable design makes it a perfect causal spot for all ages to enjoy a cheap treat.
Keeping my cultural identity at the forefront of my design process, I referenced the colors, characters, and snacks that my sister and I grew up loving to create a logomarks with two charming mascots-- Oh, and Ai.
As a proof of concept, I also created dye-sub tote-bags and keychains, as well as laser-cut keychains, verifying the ability of these characters and logo to be transferred to wearable and collectible merchandise.
I put the colors and shapes through many rounds of A/B testing, cutting out individual iterations, pinning them up, and presenting them to my classmates to get their opinions. Eventually, I realized that certain colors felt more appetizing and conveyed the idea of eating desserts—- green & pink.
The beginning of the process started with sketches and thumbnails, aimed to emphasize the symmetry between the two characters and establishing them both as integral parts of a whole brand. I wanted the typeface to reflect the characters as well—- round, friendly, and approachable.