Their only request was for us to create something they would like. Needless to say, 21 concepts later (not all were presented to the client),  we haven’t been able to reach that goal…

Branding is not an exact science, but it can be very difficult for a client to know what they want. They might just know what they don’t want.

Here are some of the presented concepts.

It’s all about communication and vision, right?

A brand should be like a seal, an Chinese “chop”, simple and efficient.

We even tried a very classical approach, but this one looks like it came from a package of Prince-Edward Island lobster-flavored chips…

So listen kids, never work without a brief!

Taylor Brothers Farms needed a bold and different design to compete on a very busy and demanding market. When you are small you have to fight smart.

The proof is in the sales!

Here is Michael Scuze, USDA Deputy Under Secretary, holding a bottle of Taylor Brothers Farms juice at CityShop in Shanghai, during the largest ever USDA trade mission to China.

There were seven of us in our team, Wand Qian, Erica, Tianwei, Ariel, Giulia and Natalie.
(Song Quing is missing on the photo).

Our goal was to create a mobile/online directory of artisans and other small-scale artists in Shanghai. It is important to celebrate the skills and talents of local artists, as well as to connect and educate interested parties and stakeholders to the and provide relevant information for locating and understanding Shanghai artisans, and also provides information on quality standards of local hand-made goods and art products.

Our team worked very hard for more than 48 hours. Our project won “The Most Feasible” award. Here is an excerpt of the presentation and some visuals.

“Some call him “Mr Little Carpenter”. I pass by him every day on my way to work.
He is a treasure about to be lost. After him, no more of these wood chairs.

Of course, there is room for mass-produced furniture. But without artisans , we will soon live
in a world much poorer.

Not only this artisan has no apprentice, he has also no pride anymore. He is very clever at what he does, but the will to grow and prosper using his hands and talent is gone.
He’s at a dead end.

You can easily buy a plastic stool for RMB20, but if you buy this artisan’s work, you can be assured that his chair or stool will be passed on to your children, and then to their own children.

Artisans are an important part of Chinese society and culture. They are an essential element of social harmony.

ARTISINO plans to make sure of that. We will look for these hidden treasures, for these diamonds in the ruff. We will dig through the mud for those lost pearls.”

Kung fu (功夫) original meaning is one’s expertise in any skill achieved through hard work and practice.

Originally, to practice kung fu did not just mean to practice Chinese martial arts. Instead, it referred to the process of one’s training – the strengthening of the body and the mind, the learning and the perfection of one’s skills – rather than to what was being trained. It refers to excellence achieved through long practice in any endeavor.

Those bright orange cones were getting a lot of attention!

The Mission Design booth was one of the busiest.

Everyone wanted to see inside those cones!

Taylor Brothers Farms (California)

Miki Prunes (Japan)

We as designers must learn to give back. This T-shirt was created to collect funds for the Japanese Red Cross.

We collaborate with some of the very best people in the business. That’s a must. So when we do any filming we like to work with Raul Gonzo. Raul is a brilliant film maker. Most importantly he is a great friend to us. When we work on a project, we seem to fall right into sync with each other.

No titles, no ego. If he wants to direct, I hang back as director of photography.  If I want to direct then he is happy on camera. Both of us realize that the final product we are producing is the reason why we are there, not our egos.

So when Raul and I worked on a youth oriented Scion automobile commercial for the Singapore market, I knew that the concept had to be wild. It was. It had to be technically tricky, It was.  It had to be fun and unexpected. It was. (sorry we cannot show any stills from this shoot)

The shoot went perfectly (thanks to careful planning, preparation and the best crew in the business). We all had an absolute blast… But that’s the thing, we always have a blast.  When the shoot was ending and “martini take” was called, the crew groaned with disapproval and hung out long after the set was cleaned and equipment was stowed (it helped to have some models on set)

The point is,,, When an experienced creative ensemble is in sync, work becomes a great excuse to do what you love, with people who love this form of art as much as you do.  So getting paid is a nice bonus, but it is a device that allows you to keep doing what you love.  And ultimately the final product is a reflection of this great passion. And isn’t that the way it should be?

They are buying better bicycles and equipment. Specialized has been following the trend closely, opening over 9 new shops in mainland China and Hong Kong. In order to reach it’s clientele, Specialized has produced a catalog specific to this growing market.

Monkey&Snake was approached by Minh Tuan Khuu to create a new document unifying three different existing catalogs.
We only kept models available to the Chinese market, creating dynamic new layouts to show the bicycles and equipment at their best.

This well designed and efficient catalog will help branding Specialized in China as a premium brand and generate increased sales.
Monkey&Snake believes in bringing premium brands in this expanding market and will continue in this direction.

Iittala is a Finnish design company specializing in houseware objects made on the principle of “modern Scandinavian design”. One of the first major successes was the glassware designed by Aino Aalto, followed later by the glassware of Alvar Aalto. Today iittala continues to create glassware that is as attractive as it is functional. Its brand encompasses a range of glassware, cookware and art pieces that continue to push boundaries in the name of ingenuity.

With this in mind, Monkey&Snake has been working with iitala to introduce their high quality range of products to the Chinese market.

Chinese consumers like the weight of a good wine glass, and appreciate the quality of fine china. They have the means, but often lack the correct product information.

In order to correct this situation, we created this gift box paper band telling the history of the pieces and of it’s designers. We hope to do much more in the future and help iitala take a good share of this ever growing market.