Pho Ho
The goal of this project was to create a new menu for Pho Ho restaurant in Harrrison Hot Springs. For this project I needed to take into account the current menu in use, Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese cuisine and client demands. Expectation on deliverables were a new menu and refined brand image.
Conceptual Research
The research objective was to generate a deep understanding of Vietnamese culture, cuisine and current trends in Canada and in Vietnam.
This way I could communicate better with the client, his business and produce high quality deliverables that reflect the brand identity.
Content Analysis
The content analysis included examining the existing menu, the banner on the front of the restaurant, there social media accounts and the restaurants interior.
The design of the current menu has structural value but is hard to read and lacks clear hierarchy and is over crowded providing little open space. The colour palette doesn’t match up well with the interior design of the restaurant ,but the quality of the food and restaurant is high and the menu presents a framework to build from.
Competitive Analysis
For the competitive analysis I analyzed the 4 closest pho restaurants and restaurants within close proximity to compare and extract important data for the business. Pho Ho’s is the only pho restaurant in Harrison with its nearest competitor residing in Chilliwak. Based on local competition and daily deals the strongest day of the week for Pho Ho to offer a lunch deal to its customers would be thursday’s.
Brainstorm & Conception
Designing a logo and watermark is a rewarding challenge and starts with thumbs, roughs and layouts in a sketch book. I use this method to explore available options that fit with the product or company.
Refining the Brand
For this process I styled the logo after the star on the Vietnamese flag, for the word mark I used a typeface that emphasizes the diacritical marks unique to the Vietnamese language which plays a vital role in its readability and make the languages typography stand out. I chose a subdued black with a bright yellow to bring out high contrast and play to the colours strengths, it is also one of the primary colours of the flag.
Final Design
The final menu design has strong leading lines and points of interest. Hierarchy is used to lead the customer from one aspect of the menu to another in a natural way without overloading them with content.
Spacing plays a vital role here to leave the aesthetic of the design clean and clear and avoid overcrowding while still displaying all the necessary information. Imagery is used with logos on the drink menu to give customers a break from reading and play at pre existing brand awareness.
