Bannistar developed the brand strategy and packing design system for the deli restaurant business “Smart Partner” under Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
Viewing the restaurant industry as a whole, the unit price of food service flattened in 2000 and had been decreasing since 2009. In the market, consumers were increasingly returning to home-cooking, and as a result, the demand for cooking condiments was growing. On the other hand, looking at the global market, companies such as Nestlé and Unilever were developing their commercial logos through packaging and other tools, promoting the unique value of their products.
The deli restaurant business needed to clarify its distinction from competitors and household businesses.
Aside from meeting user needs and solving basic challenges, the business needed to propose its overall value.
There were also multiple sub-brands, and there was an urgent need to review the brand structure.
Additionally, while there was an external need to communicate the mission commitment, there was also an internal need to have a common understanding of medium- and long-term guidelines, rather than a focus on short-term profit.
Bannistar worked on business strategy and design development with project teams and a cross-cutting approach including workshops, business philosophy formulation, brand value setting, logo design, tagline development, and packaging guideline development. We aim to propose various products and their clever uses through touchpoints such as packaging under the name “Smart Partner”, as a smart entity that fulfills the strict demands of food service professionals and anticipates needs.
