The Tail of Tofu Reinvention
Tofu has an image problem. In one of the most saturated food markets around, it sits quietly, preaching to the converted and scaring off everyone else. Tofu Monkey wanted to reintroduce tofu to a whole new generation of flexitarians, curious carnivores, and planet-conscious eaters who just needed a reason to give it a go. The challenge was creating a visual identity bold enough to cut through the noise and playful enough to make people curious before they'd even walked through the door.
We didn't design a monkey. We designed a feeling. By isolating the most distinctive and playful part of the monkey - the tail - we created a graphic asset that works harder than any mascot ever could. It lives in the logo, wraps around t-shirts and packaging, and threads through every brand touchpoint as an ownable DBA. A punchy, unexpected colour palette and a tone of voice dripping with personality did the rest - turning a brand identity into something that doesn't just sit on a street, it owns it.
“Taking a founder’s idea and turning it into a real, tangible brand - a word mark and a full set of assets that bring it to life - is no small feat. As the founder, you carry a strong sense of what it should and shouldn’t look like, and even with the best brief in the world (which Mark definitely didn’t get from me), the job of starting with a blank page and a few words and landing somewhere ready to share with the world - and have the founder feel their mind has been read - is a real balancing act.
Mark is exceptional on both fronts: the craft itself, and just as importantly, the expectation-setting, the guidance, and the gentle steer in the right direction when it’s needed. I couldn’t be happier with the results, and I know I’ll keep working with him to develop Tofu Monkey for years to come.”
James Wright, Founder, Tofu Monkey
