UYI Savoury Squids
Client: UYI Savoury Squids
Job Scope: Brand Naming, Brand Identity, Kiosk Design
UYI traces its roots back to a former seafood trading company. Priding themselves with their high quality squids, they decided to seek greener pastures with food kiosks. The proof of the pudding was in the eating, and soon, more and more people wanted a bite. Nameless food kiosks popping around town could no longer feed their hungry market, necessitating them to put a name on their squids with a brand identity.
Amicable. Asian. Authentic.
Although their squid originates from the the seas of Southeast Asia, their initial branding was prominently Taiwan's, due to the country's popularity in squid dishes. However, their new identity is a mix between Japanese and Chinese-- the former for a more premium look and the latter to target the majority in Singapore.
Brand Name Proposals
Essentially street food, the name had to be catchy enough for the younger target audience to remember. 'UYI' was selected by the client due to its simplicity and catchiness.
- Ikage
いか (ika), meaning 'squid' + 揚げ (age), meaning 'fried'. The literal meaning of their food in Japanese, for customers to associate it with Japanese cuisine.
- UYI
Named after the Chinese word '鱿鱼' (you yu), meaning squid. 'Uyi' is of a similar spelling but with a Japanese twist.
- Squiggly Squiggle
A combination of the words 'squid' and 'wiggle', to describe the natural movement of the squid.
- Squishi
A combination of the words 'squid' and 'squishy', to describe the tenderness of their squids. Squids also have a soft texture in real life.
- Squee! 鱿鱼万岁! (you yu wan sui)
- Hook on Squids
Hooks are used to catch squids, and it can also mean to be in love with it.
An exclamation for "Hurray! I have squid!" 鱿鱼万岁 (you yu wan sui) means 'long live the squids', a pun on the actual Chinese phrase ’友谊万岁' (you yi wan sui), meaning 'long live our friendship'.
Logo Design Proposals
Several directions were proposed, leaning either towards traditional, illustrative, cute, or premium. Being a pioneer in the introduction of fried squids street food, this brand identity had to differentiate them from all the other existing food kiosks around.
Design 1 (Selected by Client)
Design 2
Design 3
Design 4
Pyrography
A traditional art form of exquisite detail, this art of burning wood can be traced back until the dawn of recorded history, and has steadily made its way up to being a form of folk art today. As exotic as UYI's character, these heated squids on wooden panels are as hot as their heated squids on the grill.
