Overall brand strategy, naming, exhibition, art direction, website, and product consultation for a government-led initiative promoting porcelain creators from Arita and their efforts to bring innovative Japanese design to the American market through NY NOW. A collaboration with Made in Japan Project, funded by the Saga Prefectural Government.
RESEARCH & CONSULTATION
Over the course of nine months, we visited Arita—the birthplace of porcelain in Japan—to consult participating kilns and distributors with ideas for their product design, brand positioning, and marketing strategy for the U.S. market.
BRANDING
For the visual identity, we designed an infinity symbol paired with the town’s name and tagline “Eternally Modern.” It suggests how Arita creators continue to evolve four centuries of tradition, craftsmanship, and innovation into distinctively modern everyday products.
WEBSITE
The responsive bilingual website is written for both western and Japanese readers with distinct messaging catered to each audience. We art-directed all videos and photography on the website, including a portrayal of key products falling in slow motion, close-ups in 360 rotation, documentary photos of the town, and a video showing porcelain creation process.
Awarded GDUSA 2018 American Web Design
EXHIBITION BOOTH
For the NY NOW market on February 2018, we designed a corner booth divided by a diagonal wall archway typically found in traditional porcelain kilns. Each creator gets a museum-like stage and hidden storage space underneath.
Photography: Sam Morgan Photography
Copywriting: David Imber & Mika Yoshida, MANIFORM
