Love, Makoto Branding Concepts

Branding explorations for a large Japanese food court in Washington, D.C. (unpublished). The project’s quirky name, Love, Makoto, is the sign-off on a love letter to the U.S. from a celebrity Japanese chef. Our work investigated postal references, texting, kawaii, tatami and bento box organization, and D.C.’s storied cherry blossoms on tree originally gifted by Japan. It pondered then rejected calligraphic tropes, then accepted them again. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Calligraphy by Chisato Uno. Sample watercolor illustrations on shopping bags by Jamie Runnells.