Lee Kum Kee unveils branding for hot sauce range
The team at Deuce Studio has introduced a different take on the traditional Lee Kum Kee branding and packaging
Lee Kum Kee, a household name around the world for Asian condiments, has branched out into hot sauces for the first time in the brand’s 136-year history. Having been a leader in this market for over a decade, with its products remaining largely the same over that period, the release of three new chilli-infused sauces marks a significant foray for the brand in the hopes of targeting Gen Z and Millennials.
The job of branding this latest release went to London-based design agency Deuce Studio, who conducted extensive market research to understand how these sauces could both stand out from the crowd and remain true to Lee Kum Kee’s current visual language.
“Our target audience of Gen Z and Millennials were most attracted to chilli sauces that have simple, bold designs that feel authentic and inspire them to try new and exotic flavours,” says the Deuce Studio team. “This insight provided the perfect strategic foundation for our new design.”
Consisting of three distinct flavours – sesame, lime leaf and yuzu – the packaging for the new chilli sauces boldly champions these ingredients, while nodding to the original Lee Kum Kee packaging.
A large, eye-catching sans serif font stands out against vibrant colour palettes not dissimilar to the bright hues we’ve grown accustomed to from the brand. In keeping with the designs of the core range of products, this text is presented in both English and Chinese. There is also the iconic golden plaque logo that Lee Kum Kee is so well known for, maintaining an all-important link to the overarching brand.
No product from the brand would be fit without the background patterns that bring texture and depth to the packaging. On the new sauces, these are subtle but still serve to accentuate the other information on the label, and act as a reference to traditional Chinese visual culture.
All of these elements are arranged in a strict grid system, which also features “jagged badges” to help emphasise certain key words in the copy, and also transform into holding devices for imagery across the rest of the brand world.
