As the U.K.’s foodie culture grows, consumers are increasingly looking to exotic flavors for newness, excitement, and intrigue. Coming from a family baking business specializing in mochi-making—a traditional Japanese rice dough ball—entrepreneurial sister and brother Vivien and Howard Wong are challenging the U.K. frozen treat market with their new brand, Little Moons, handmade, bite-sized balls of premium gelato ice cream wrapped in mochi.
Having gained shelf space in Whole Foods and Selfridges and being served at high-end eateries such as Nobu and Sushi Samba, Little Moons set a vision to expand into the wider European market. To do so, a new identity and packaging design were needed to unify the brand’s two varieties: frozen and chilled Tsuki Mochi. The goal of Pearlfisher London, which handled the redesign, was to replace the brand’s charming and simplistic design with a more striking and sophisticated expression inspired by the unique story and consumer experience.
Says Pearlfisher Chief Strategy Officer at Yael Alaton, “Mochi is challenging the sweet taste landscape in the U.K. in much the same way as sushi did when it first arrived on British shores. We needed to clearly educate consumers on what mochi is—using design to bring to life the delicious range of ingredients and flavors.
“Little Moons creates an experience that surprises and delights through its striking contrasts and combinations. Our strategic vision focused on partnership—from the energy and imagination of its creators, to the marrying of tradition and innovation—which resulted in a design vision that looked to capture ‘unexpected harmony.’”
Adds Harriet Ferguson, Senior Designer at Pearlfisher, “We wanted to retain the existing accessible and honest charm of Little Moons while elevating the brand into a more distinctive and ownable space. By conveying a world of flavor, texture, and color, we sought to capture the product’s taste credentials and exciting proposition as a new way to experience a delicious bite-size treat.”
The identity is simple and iconic and places the product at the heart of the brand. Complementing a classic typeface, the “o” of Moons replicates the shape of the mochi themselves. “The Mochi Makers” sign-off establishes the brand with a stamp of credibility and gives the brand an artisanal feel.
A hand-drawn crescent-moon pattern is central to the look of the new Little Moons brand identity and is suggestive of both the product experience and the delicate, handcrafted nature of the products. The beautifully scripted tagline, “Enjoy the little things,” communicates authenticity, and the bold, bright shots of color evoke the intense hits of flavor brought to life in each variant. All the elements of the design aim to entice the consumer into the creative, culinary, and curious world of Little Moons, offering a moment of indulgence to savor while ensuring that the brand stands out in the competitive freezer section.
In addition to the identity and packaging, Pearlfisher created the aesthetic for in-store brand development and POS systems within retailers including Whole Foods Market and Selfridges.
Commenting on the new design, Howard Wong says, “We are thrilled with our new identity. The design had a lot to convey, and Pearlfisher has exceeded our expectations with an identity and visual world that is contemporary, educative, and artistic, while still referencing our mochi-making heritage. We can’t wait to see it on the shelves and start using the new identity and materials to build the Little Moons brand world and unique experience for our consumers.”
