ASSIGNMENT
Create a brand for new restaurant with a menu that takes us to China in a space that embodies Austin’s free-spirited, youthful nature.
SERVICES
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Brand Positioning
Foundational Language
Signage
Named after Chinese Chef’s American-born daughter and son, Zoé Tong embodies characteristics of both lands. Inspired by the buzz of China’s alleyways and eateries, the upbeat, festive vibe of Barton Springs, and the vibrant palette of Austin’s violet crown, Zoé Tong presents a confident, fresh take on Chinese food today.
Part China, part America, 100% Austin.
Like the flavors featured on its menu, contrast and balance are central concepts in Zoé Tong’s identity design. A strong sans serif pairs with a modern script uniting tradition and liberation. A custom chop created by a Chinese illustrator hired by Chef complements the American typography.
During design, the chef let us know she was interested in using a specific Chinese porcelain familiar to many Americans and considered nostalgic by her parents’ generation. This style, LingLong porcelain, originally came from a single factory in China and was very popular in the West in the 1970’s and ’80’s.
To advance the reference, we pulled the porcelain’s electric blue into the color palette and balanced it with a soft pink.
From its name to its logo to its late night playlist, Zoé Tong embodies Austin's free spirit. Hand-painted murals inside and out set the playful tone. Its menu takes us to China, but it isn’t over-burdened by a responsibility to strictly adhere to tradition.
Located less than a mile away from Austin’s crown jewels Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool, Zoé Tong enjoys plenty of traffic—pediestrian, bike, car—year round. A double-sided neon sign with the name and the restaurant’s tagline, “Modern Austin Chinese” grabs people’s attention from the road.
A mural created by a Chinese illustrator hired by Chef fronts Barton Springs Road and depicts an alternate local landscape populated by friendly monsters, cactus creatures, and a dragon encircling the capitol.
