YAMASA USA
YAMASA SHOYU AND SAUCES
IDENTITY, PACKAGING, CAMPAIGN, SOCIAL MEDIA
THE SITUATION
Yamasa, a 400-year-old shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) brand, was looking to launch nationally with consumers in the US and expand the business to a range of Asian sauces. They’d built their US brewery in Oregon 30 years prior, but their primary market penetration in the states was only in sushi bars and Asian-style restaurants. They needed a US-facing brand that would grow market share and consumer awareness.
THE SOLUTION
We developed a new business and brand strategy rooted in Authentic Japanese Craft that carves out a premium tier in the Asian sauces category for Yamasa USA, creating an artisanal platform for their high-quality shoyus, sauces and broths. We developed everything from packaging and website to campaign, social media content, advertising and retail POS.
THE EXECUTION
The brand’s new visual system is anchored by an elegant white canvas adorned with choiceful touches of black and the brand’s powerful equity red, suggesting its Japanese roots. A stylized illustration links Yamasa’s origins in the Japanese town of Choshi to its home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley – a location chosen to match Choshi’s climate and pristine water.
THE RESULTS
The newly positioned brand surpassed prior year’s Amazon sales in just the first three in market. And the new look and feel was awarded 2024 Davy Award – Gold.
IMAGES © TRINITY BRAND GROUP