Process

Dictionary: research and purpose

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After talking to my friends, Hazmi, Ruzana, and Mai earlier today, I started to think of how to make my brand audit of cafes & restaurants in Singapore be more interesting and unique..

In my earlier dictionary list of words, I have the word EDUCATE. I want to educate non-designer people so that they also can have keener eyes on design. As for designers, they can also benefit from the exercise. The reviews gathered online/offline could be used as a reflection and learning opportunity for everyone,

For this Dictionary project, perhaps, it would be good also if I printed some flash cards with questions for someone to be able to pay more attention to the cafe/restaurant’s branding? Possible questions are:

  1. How does the service make you feel?
  2. What’s the dominant color of this cafe/restaurant?
  3. Where can you find the smallest logo applied at?
  4. … (and 47 more questions variation)

For my FYP, it is a high possibility that I must make an app where people can review the design of a cafe/restaurant brand. At the same time, I will also publish a book containing my interview with cafe/restaurant owners/managers, speaking about their brands..

 

Resources to help my fyp:

  1. Brand New
    Brand New is a division of UnderConsideration. Its sole purpose is to chronicle and provide opinions on corporate and brand identity work. We cover redesigns and new designs of well-known products, companies, and organizations. Brand New is edited and 99% written by Armin Vit.
  2. Brand Guide

    Brand Guide: Singapore Edition is the first edition of the Brand Guide Series by Foreign Policy Design Group.

    A documentation of the most progressive local brands & a celebration of the visionaries & designers behind them – it is filled with takeaways and anecdotes capturing the vision to fruition of each brand owner.

Dictionary: Dancing Crab Singapore

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On 22 March 2016, I interviewed Phyo Wai Linn, assistant manager of Dancing Crab. Dancing Crab is a Louisiana Seafood restaurant. The one that I went to is at Orchard Central.

Some keywords that I gathered from interview and observation

  1. Concept (as taken from the website):”Welcome to Dancing Crab, serving a mix of robust, country-style Cajun seafood and the distinctive richness of Creole cuisine. Dancing Crab is a refreshing, American counterpart to Singapore’s equally famed preferences for seafood, shellfish and rich flavors. Backed by one of Singapore’s oldest seafood restaurant leaders, TungLok Group, Dancing Crab sources their shellfish from the same vendors used at the group’s best seafood restaurants, offering a range from Boston lobster to Dungeness crab.New Orleans, Louisiana is known for its happy atmosphere, lively music, and high spirits. Dancing Crab brims with life, bringing the same emphasis to its colorful location at The Grandstand, welcoming its guests to eat, drink, and be merry.”
  2. Food: wet and gravy seafood for Singapore’s tasteIMG_5447 IMG_5448 IMG_5450
  3. Primary color: black (classic)
  4. Secondary colors: white and red (to attract customers)
  5. Logo: red crab with ‘Dancing Crab’ in bold sans serif IMG_5441
  6. Visual language: vectorized seafood illustration with bold textIMG_5439
  7. Props: flags, beach-inspired props like crab, nets, anchor, lighthouse, etc.
    IMG_5451 IMG_5452
  8. Music: hip-hop with high upbeat that some of the customers will also shake their legs according to the beat.IMG_5454
  9. Working culture: no old-school (no strict rule). However, if possible, the staffs should not put their back towards their customers to be aware of the customers’ needs.
  10. Customer feeling: happy about the food and place. The staffs will clap and dance for customers who are having birthday as a surprise.IMG_5443

    http://www.dancingcrab.com.sg/video/DC_Mobvid_Full.mp4

  11. Customer range: any age, any nationalities
  12. Motto: not FINE dining, but FUN dining

Reflection

Firstly, I was surprised that I did not feel that shy in approaching peopleeeeeeee!!! YAAASSSSS.

Anyway, I think that I am in the right direction for my FYP since I could learn more about branding in the direct field, and I could talk to a lot of people. One homework for me is to make my own name card to be exchanged with the people I will be in contact with.

Next, I was thinking of promoting the restaurants I went to on an Instagram account solely devoted to talk about the visual side of interesting cafes/restaurants/hawkers.

Calendar: Progress :)

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I printed my interview script on tracing paper.. The ink did not come out smoothly, but I like the effect.. I think that it is as if the history is not fully recorded.. Some are concealed by TIME.

The paper ribbon could slide perfectly well when I turn the cassette wheels around. People could slowly read the text..

I think this is an interesting way to roll time back :p

IMG_4941 IMG_4943 IMG_4944

Calendar: raw materials that I have got so far

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I have gone to Sungei Road Thieves’ Market, and gathered some materials for my final submission:

  1. PhotosThese photos can be put inside my cassette’s small publication.. Or else, they can be printed as loose cards..

    DSC_0125 DSC_0130 DSC_0131 DSC_0132 DSC_0134 DSC_0136 DSC_0138 DSC_0142

  2. Video

    Perhaps I could play this video, and project it on the screen.. At the same time, the audience could interact with my other materials..

  3. Ambience sound recorded inside a cassette 

    My publication can be in the form of small brochure inside the cassette transparent container.. The publication could contain my interview script and general information about Sungei Besar thieve’s market.

  4. IMG_4858Interview with one of the seller 

    My friend, Hazmi suggested that I might want to write my interview script on the cassette tape, and people can read it by turning the cassette wheel.The following pictures capture my effort to try out his idea. I am planning to print the script on thin paper and roll it inside my cassette.

    IMG_4847
    IMG_4848

  5. Free box from one kind uncle from the thieve’s market!

    I can use this to put my collaterals inside.IMG_4857

 

 

I have a lot of goods to be put inside. The question is, should I put everything inside, or should I just put one or two that are the most essential?