NewFish
Brief
NewFish calls us to Eat Toward Abundance through its sustainable approach to seafood. The founders came to Studio Chenchen in the early stages of their purpose-led business. They’d assembled a great team and had some initial products in the pipeline, but they needed a creative partner to help build their brand and support their business journey.
Scope
Branding & Strategy
Creative Direction
Illustration & Animation
Naming
Creative Direction
Illustration & Animation
Naming
Website Design & Development
Copywriting
Social Media Design
Photography Art Direction
Sustainability Strategy
Copywriting
Social Media Design
Photography Art Direction
Sustainability Strategy
Website
Eat Toward
Abundance.
Studio Chenchen worked with NewFish to establish a clear brand strategy and put it into action. After getting to know the business, we identified the name NewFish and proposed a brand architecture to best suit the company’s unique character and growth trajectory.
At the corporate level, the NewFish brand emphasises a futuristic technological engagement with organic marine systems. The design shows a mechanically inspired typeface paired with a cold colour palette that’s been abstracted from natural oceanic hues. The emphasis at this level of the brand speaks to NewFish’s corporate drive to become a food-tech start-up that popularises algal-based proteins and uses strategic seafood systems acupuncture to support the marine environment.
At the corporate level, the NewFish brand emphasises a futuristic technological engagement with organic marine systems. The design shows a mechanically inspired typeface paired with a cold colour palette that’s been abstracted from natural oceanic hues. The emphasis at this level of the brand speaks to NewFish’s corporate drive to become a food-tech start-up that popularises algal-based proteins and uses strategic seafood systems acupuncture to support the marine environment.
At the product level, NewFish needed to showcase its seafood creations in a rich and enticing way. NewFish’s first product, the Pāua Saucisson, is an iconic new concept invented by NewFish’s creative director, and New Zealand’s best chef, Vaughan Mabee. At this level of the brand, organic influences come to the fore, drawing on precedents in traditional seafood cultures, a neo-romantic mindset, and the emotion that comes with food. The bold red colour connects the brand to its target markets in Asia and the bespoke typography was inspired by the shapes of sails in traditional fishing vessels, drawing on the shared aesthetics of seafaring cultures from Aotearoa to Asia.
The mechanic-organic concept was applied across a variety of devices to complete the brand’s visual language and solidify the link between the corporate and product applications: a bespoke icon is made from 魚 which is shared across Asian cultures as a symbol for fish or seafood; product typography is reorganised into an animated frame that gives a similar impression to a kelp forest; and a stylised illustration of the three groups of macroalgae from species found in New Zealand gives a digitally skewed impression of the organic forms of nature.
Unboxing Experience
To support a great consumer experience with a completely new seafood concept, we integrated simple guidance into the design of product packaging and created a product handbook based on interviews with the Chef. Inspired by the price point and craft used in the production, the box resembles a high-end whisky. A set of serving and pairing suggestions provide confidence to the user plus a telescopic function lets you minimise fridge space and make more use of the packaging.
Social Media
Social media campaign strategies were created to support brand and product launches. The Decode series introduces the species and sustainability choices in each product to educate consumers about NewFish’s regenerative aspirations; a product-specific channel allows Vaughan to educate consumers with preparation suggestions; and Inspired by the Sea provides a space for NewFish to express and connect its creativity in fine dining to peers in fashion, art, and music.
As well as supporting NewFish with ecommerce website and social media campaign strategies, we complemented our branding services with bespoke sustainability consulting. This draws on unique strengths within our Studio and helped NewFish to establish a clear sustainability policy, strategy, and action plan so it can deliver on its purpose as the business grows and develops.
Studio Chenchen’s service has positioned NewFish in a market-leading position to bring new food tech to old seafood traditions. As an early-stage food tech start-up, we’ve helped them to attract multiple rounds of funding and build its initial revenue through interest in the Pāua Saucisson.
Studio Chenchen’s service has positioned NewFish in a market-leading position to bring new food tech to old seafood traditions. As an early-stage food tech start-up, we’ve helped them to attract multiple rounds of funding and build its initial revenue through interest in the Pāua Saucisson.
