Pass the Chopsticks: Ron Taft’s Sushi Venture Tasty Branding

Graphis Master Ron Taft (USA) cooked up a delectable branding campaign for “Sushi Venture,” a bespoke catering service that brings the classic omakase experience to private dining. The Gold Award-winning campaign was a culinary masterpiece that left a lasting impression. Ron’s team crafted an iconic logo featuring a glazed ceramic plate and chopsticks, artfully arranged as a still-life image that was a feast for the eyes. The advertising campaign was equally tantalizing, with relatable ads highlighting the refined beauty and exquisite taste of excellent sushi preparation. One standout poster depicted fish vying for a coveted spot in Sushi Venture’s omakase, a playful nod to the brand’s exceptional quality and artistic presentation.

By: Ron Taft

An Adventure in Design

“The story begins when my writing partner, Cliff Einstein, called me to tell me that his granddaughter had just graduated from a noted sushi academy and was about to launch a private catering service that would provide a classic omakase experience for in-home dining. He had come up with a fascinating name for her new adventure, which he proposed would be called Sushi Venture.

“With this background now on my plate, we began determining how to visually express the brand’s name. Inasmuch as the omakase experience celebrates the artistic/artisan side of Asian cuisine presentation, we created a glazed ceramic plate and chopsticks as a still-life image to establish the brand icon. The ‘S’ as a sculpted part of the plate and the ‘V’ as chopsticks artfully configure the logotype initials, while the circular plate dynamic, though in black, is reminiscent of the iconic shape of a chrysanthemum, the Japanese national emblem.

“Our launch ad, which was the birth of the Sushi Venture icon featuring the plate and chopsticks, seemed to evoke a feeling of anticipation—a plate awaiting the adornment of the chef’s choicest sushi. A subsequent ad shows a single piece of traditional sushi nigiri lying on a knife’s blade and being gently scorched by a torch, with the headline, ‘Omakase tanning bed.’ This was another relatable way to draw attention to the refined beauty and specialness of excellent sushi preparation.

“Having a little fun, we also created a poster that plays on the idea that some fish aspire to be the chosen few who are honored to be reincarnated into the highest order of omakase, thus reinforcing the exceptional quality of Sushi Venture’s omakase.

“Haley Adelman started her business well into the Covid pandemic as a way for family and friends to experience a delightfully unique social evening together in the safe comfort of one’s home. Since then, Haley’s in-home omakase experience has continued to enjoy tremendous success. Her artistic presentation is like no other, and, well, let’s just say shoals of fish are lining up hoping to be part of her outstanding omakase presentation.”

Ron Taft is the founder/creative director of Ron Taft Brand Innovation & Media Arts. He is a Graphis Master and has won over 26 Graphis awards spanning all categories of advertising and design.

Social Media: LinkedIn

To see other Advertising 2022 winners, click here. To enter our Advertising 2024 competition, click here.