Jenn Koh Portfolio

Ginkgo Bread Branding, for local small businesses

Engaged in a design support project for Asan City's small businesses, our team from Sun Moon University's Visual Design Department and I aided local social enterprises through research, planning, and design development. Our work, particularly on Eunhaengppang (Bank Bread)'s branding, earned recognition as a local tourism product and a commendation from Asan City.

Role

Design Mentor

Researcher

Branding

Design Strategy

Collaborators

Sun Moon University

(6 Members)

Duration

9 months (2020)

Client

Asan City

Jenn Koh

Work

Others

About

Resume↗︎

Problem Statement

Asan City, renowned for its tourist sites, is faced with the challenge of lacking distinctive tourism products to represent the city. To address this and stimulate the local economy, Asan embarked on developing a unique bakery item for its Bread Festival, known as "Asan's Signature Baking" product. During this initiative, local bakery small business owners, feeling the pressure on sales and facing threats to their livelihoods, were selected for support as social enterprises. They struggled with the absence of creative design and branding for their products.

To assist, I joined a project aimed at developing effective branding strategies and design guidelines for Asan City's bakery products. Working alongside the Asan City government and the Visual Design Department team from Sun Moon University in Asan, our team's goal was to provide these small business owners with impactful branding strategies and design guidelines.

“The quality of Bread is exceptional, but it fails to stand out in the market

due to lack of branding and design improvements. We desperately need to enhance these aspects.”

— Small bakery business owner (46)

“The potential of Bakery business as a specialty product of our city is immense. However, currently,

there is a lack in brand recognition and design aspects. We are looking for solutions to improve this.”

— Asan City Government Official (52)

Design Concept

The Ginkgo Tree Road in Asan, along the banks of Gokgyocheon, is a renowned tourist destination attracting visitors nationwide. Inspired by this, I conceived the idea of Ginkgo Bread to represent this natural landmark, aiming to enhance Asan's regional storytelling. This concept is designed to spark interest among both locals and tourists, making it a unique symbol of Asan's cultural and environmental heritage, thereby encouraging visits and purchases inspired by the beauty and story of the Ginkgo Tree Road.

Design Concept

Process

Over six months, I met with various stakeholders, including small business owners in Asan City, through direct site visits to understand the current situation and issues facing local businesses. To support this project successfully, I conducted research and interviews, as well as held special lectures and planning presentations.

Project Overview Meeting with Various Stakeholders

In collaboration with stakeholders from the Asan City government, professors of Visual Design from Sun Moon University, and representatives from social enterprise cooperatives, we established regular meetings not only to support Asan City's small bakery business owners but also to address the requirements for revitalizing the local economy of Asan City.

Through these collaborative efforts, we sought to identify challenges, explore potential opportunities, and devise comprehensive solutions that benefited the local community and stakeholders involved.

Interviews with bakery small business owner.

Upon being selected for Asan's social enterprise support, I engaged with elderly small bakery business owners to understand their struggles, particularly their limited promotion strategies focused on traditional methods like street flyers and banners. Recognizing their lack of awareness about the importance of social marketing and brand design, our goal was to introduce them to digital marketing and innovative branding strategies.

Hosting a Special Lecture by a Branding Expert for Social Enterprises in Asan City

To support the growth of social enterprises and small business owners in Asan City, we conducted 9 expert lectures, 2 field trips, and seminars. I organized these sessions by inviting 6 experts, creating an opportunity to share the importance of design for community development with Asan City's small business owners and design students from Sun Moon University. Furthermore, this initiative helped build the Asan regional network and enhanced students' understanding and connection to the community.

Brand Concept and Design Proposal Meeting

We proposed a design plan to the Asan City government and small business owners, encompassing bread names, shapes, and overall branding strategies. The plan drew inspiration from Asan City's iconic Ginkgo Tree Road, designing a concept that could not only support small business ventures but also serve as a tourist product, potentially revitalizing Asan City's economy in the long run.

After the plan was adopted, we participated in the printing and bakery tasting processes, offering support until the final products were completed.

Creating a Brand Manual Guidebook

In addressing the branding challenges faced by bakery small business owners in Asan City, we provided comprehensive brand consulting. This included the creation of logos, brand naming, business cards, and packaging, culminating in the delivery of a detailed brand manual guidebook. This guidebook served as a foundational tool for these businesses, empowering them with a coherent brand identity and enabling them to stand out in the market.

Outputs

I led the planning and design of the Ginkgo Bread from concept to final product, focusing on its unique shape, logo, brand story, and packaging. This holistic approach aimed not just at creating a distinctive product but also at embedding a deeper narrative within the local context of Asan's iconic "Ginkgo Tree Road," making it appealing to both tourists and residents.

The growth of Asan city's representative tourism

Collaboration between Asan's social economy, Sun Moon university, and the local community has led to a successful business model featured in the media. The project's effectiveness has been expanded through viral marketing. Success of "Ginkgo Bread" has further highlighted the importance of design to other social economy enterprises.

Takeaways

Coordinating with Stakeholders

Through meetings with Asan City government, Sun Moon University's professors and students, and local small business owners, I learned to understand each party's perspective and work towards a common goal for regional growth. This experience taught me the importance of mediating differences and crafting solutions that everyone could agree on, highlighting the value of collaboration and mutual understanding in achieving shared objectives.

Design Mentoring

I provided mentoring in the use of design tools, enhancing the leadership and design skills of students and small business owners. Through hands-on practice and feedback, participants gained confidence and acquired practical design skills applicable to real-world projects.

Galaxy friends,
Samsung

Menstrual
Branding

Achievement

I played a key role in the consultancy for product concept development, branding, and marketing strategies for Asan social enterprises, significantly enhancing social awareness and business efficiency. One of my notable contributions was proposing the 'Ginkgo Bread,' which not only became a sought-after tourist item but also set a benchmark as a business model for energizing Asan city's local economy. This initiative led to remarkable sales, reaching over 3,500 units per month. My efforts were recognized with the Asan City Representative Tourism Souvenir Contest Idea Award from the Asan City Government, highlighting my significant impact on the region's tourism and economy.

My Roles

Led project research, ideation, and design planning & Identified issues and derived design improvements through design work.
Coordinated conflicting requirements among various stakeholders including Asan City Government, small business owners, Sun Moon University officials, students, and consumers.
Mentored design team members from the Department of Visual Design at Sun Moon University.
Organized workshops with experts in design and digital marketing.

Design Concept

Process

Project Overview Meeting with Various Stakeholders

Interviews with bakery small business owner.

Hosting a Special Lecture by a Branding Expert

for Social Enterprises in Asan City

Brand Concept and Design Proposal Meeting

After the plan was adopted, we participated in the printing and bakery tasting processes, offering support until the final products were completed.

Creating a Brand Manual Guidebook

Outputs

The growth of Asan city's representative tourism