Eggyolk Coffee - Illustration System and Packaging Series
Client: Eggyolk Coffee
Agency: Hands Collective
Year: 2023
Category: Brand Identity, Art Direction, Illustration
Creative Director: Two Nguyễn
Strategy Director: Thịnh Nguyễn
Strategy: Hạnh Nguyễn, Linh Phạm
Design: Giang Nguyễn, Hiếu Phạm, Phương Vân, Trang Trần, Vũ Nguyễn
Web Design/Development: Linh Phạm
Illustration: Quang Nguyễn, Hiếu Phạm
Production: Nam Nguyễn (Noted Studio)
Animation Support: Châu Lê
Concept and Product Photography: Oni Production
Lifestyle Photography: Cầm Lại
Stylist: Hà Nguyễn
In 2023, my friends at Hands Collective invited me to collaborate on expanding the brand assets of Eggyolk Coffee, one of their longtime clients. The brand is a specialty café chain deliberately built around the core philosophy of spreading uplifting positivity and dynamic energy. While traditional spots focus solely on nostalgia, Eggyolk Coffee pairs the rich heritage of Vietnamese egg coffee with a vibrant, modern visual identity and an optimistic lifestyle approach.
My tasks included co-art directing the new illustration system and designing new packaging for their instant coffee product line, as well as limited-edition merchandise.
The project, developed over the course of a year, is divided into several parts:
Brand Illustration System
The existing identity revolves around two main things: the slanted abstract “O” logomark (which can be depicted as either an abstract symbol of the sun or an egg yolk), and its offset. For further development, I decided to explore the slanting motif, as it has not been utilised previously, and the offsetting motif could look visually overwhelming if use extensively. A gravitated object could also depicts motion and movements, which matches with the “energetic” keyword of the brand.
Together with the team, we created a dynamic illustration system built into the logomark, with a custom slanted grid system. This allows the logo symbol to either become a fun little character, or take a supporting role (as the morning sun) and let people tell their stories.
The system is part of the overall award-winning case study of Eggyolk Coffee, which has received recognition and awards from Transform Awards Asia 2023 and Dieline Awards 2024.
Read full case study here ›
Initial sketches: Upon finalising on the direction, I quickly sketched as much of the visuals that define “morning” (one of the brand’s keywords) as I can think of
Further sketches: After finalising on the grid and the angle of the slope, the visuals are categorised into three groups: animals, street vendors and morning activities/exercises for further brainstorming
Further sketches: Some fun illustrations in which I drew the logo as a mascot during work break. The team decided to use these as a secondary narrative
The grid system and various finalised iterations. Supporting illustrations by Hiếu Phạm
The illustrations in various applications (T-shirt merchs and city tour map for foreign tourists)
Instant Coffee Packaging Series
Instant coffee powder is one of Eggyolk’s newest products, catered for tourists that want to bring a taste of Vietnamese egg coffee back home.
The team’s visual narrative approach for this project is different from many other existing coffee brands in the market. Instead of relying on the cliché traditional ethnic patterns or agriculture visuals of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, we decided to explore the invisible and often ignored modern street culture.
These include everyday activities of locals — drinking coffee on a street paveway and railway street, riding a motorbike and crossing busy roads — but new and exciting to foreign tourists, especially those who visit Vietnam for the first time. The illustrations are designed to connect when displayed in a pack of three coffee boxes, showcasing the activities throughout the span of a day.
The project is a recipient of a Silver Award in Pentawards 2024 (Smart and Connected Packaging category (E.03)), and is featured in The Package Design Book 8 by TASCHEN.
Read full case study here ›
Coffee boxes in display and in left, front and right side. From top-right to bottom: the illustrations showcase typical tourist's experience throughout a day in Vietnam: grabbing a coffee on Hanoi’s iconic Train Street, riding a motorbike and crossing the road
All three instant coffee boxes combined. Co-art direction and packaging design by Giang Nguyễn. Production by Nam Nguyễn (Noted Studio)
Featured in The Package Design Book 8 by TASCHEN
Limited Merchandise
To celebrate the opening of Eggyolk’s flagship store on Chân Cầm Street in Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter, the brand launched a new series of tote bags and custom in-store wood stamps.
Traditional Đông Hồ woodcut paintings often depict themes of good fortune and folklore. Drawing from this tradition, three iconic works were selected and reimagined in a modern context relevant to the brand.
Research and conceptualisation process
From left to right: The three referenced paintings are:, Vinh hoa (Glory) Chơi cá (Playing with Fish), Đám cưới chuột (Rats’ Wedding)
Wooden stamp for coffee shop visitors to interact and custom tote bags
Draft animation (that I only did for fun)
Quang Nguyễn
Communication Designer
is a Vietnamese design practitioner/illustrator currently based in Naarm (Melbourne), and an ongoing Master’s student of Communication Design at RMIT University.
Previously held a Bachelor of Communication (Advertising) degree and throughout years of accumulated independent design learning and practice, Quang is currently focused on brand illustration, brand identity, and communication design, with some of past high-profile clients including Sovico Group, RMIT, and UNESCO. He also frequently collaborates with Hands Collective, an award-winning brand consultancy based in Hanoi, and produces works recognised and featured by Behance, Dieline, and Pentawards.
[GMT+7]
Hanoi, Vietnam
[GMT+4]
Naarm, Australia
As a Vietnamese currently residing and working on the stolen lands in the Kulin Nation, I acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong peoples as the Traditional Owners, and recognise their deep and ongoing connection to these lands and waters. I pay my respects to their Elders past, present, and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.