Client:
Mai’s Thai*
Type of Work:
Identity, Menu
Role:
Designer
*Concept work
Brief
Mai’s Thai is a restaurant that serves a dedicated base of customers in southern Indiana, and is considered the go-to establishment for authentic Thai food in Jeffersonville. Mai’s is known for being cozy, friendly, and inviting.
The restaurant’s origin is a classic “American dream” story. The owner, Mai, traveled from Bangkok to the U.S. at 18. On her website, she credits Louisville’s local community services with assisting in her immigration process. Her success as a restauranteur has allowed her to regularly donate funds to renovate schools in her hometown of Bangkok.
Goal
Create a new identity to reach out beyond Mai’s established customer base, increasing business. This includes local residents who are unfamiliar with either Thai food or the restaurant itself.
Process
Initial sketches were focused on cooking utensils used in Thai food and the country’s traditional temple architecture.
The elongated, looped letterforms draw visual inspiration from traditional Thai noodle dishes and the Thai written language. The shape of the apostrophe subtly references the chofa, a common decorative element in Thai temple architecture.
The second typeface in blue references the construction of traditional Thai houses, which are often built on wooden stilts to prevent flooding during monsoon season.
The color scheme was inspired by the spiciness and bright hues of traditional Thai cuisine, as well as the country’s national flag.
