[Test Email] Hiding in plain site.

Hiding in plain site.

I rarely share this story, but what the heck. When my co-founders, Pritsana and Rika, and I founded the studio in 2005 we created our first portfolio by combining our individual books of work to represent what we could do as a collective. Our experiences came from the branding, advertising, and art worlds. And though we had worked with “large” agencies who worked on household brands, we also each had a spot in our individual portfolios which including work for Asian, Pacific Islander, and Asian Pacific Islander American clients.

Yet we intentionally tried to not show so much of that work in our early years because we did want to be known as the “Asian studio that does Asian work”. We also didn’t want to be presumed to be a multicultural or ethnic agency. And it doesn’t help when studies found that Asian last names lead to fewer job interviews. We were basically toddlers hiding while wanting to be found.

And yet we’re still around almost 17 years later and have worked with names everyone knows like the University of Southern California, DC Comics, and Pfizer. Here’s the thing though. There’s no way we can measure whether or not the hiding who we were tactic was the reason for our longevity. Why did we even bother hiding? Once people met with us, we were obviously Asian.

Looking back at it, I’m ashamed of prioritizing acceptance and revenue over pride and worth. I can say though we’ve learned that good people lead to better work. It’s pretty simple. We work hard at building relationships with clients — many of whom we now consider friends.

There is an extra jolt of pride though when we work with an Asian/Pacific Islander organization. And when we’re the only Asian in the room, we aim to be the truest version of ourselves.

I must add how it’s especially wonderful seeing the influx of API creative talent entering and excelling in design fields. And I truly hope we are part of this conversation.

If you weren’t aware, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is winding down. Please take a moment to show support by ordering your next meal from an Asian/Pacific Islander owned business or consider supporting impactful organizations like Kaya Press, CACF, and LEAP.

Proud,
Bryan

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

LEAP

Founded in 1982, LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics) is a national, nonprofit organization, with a mission to achieve full participation and equality for Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) through leadership, empowerment, and policy.

They originally came to us with the task of helping them establish their vision statement. Once that was written, the LEAP team saw a need to better understand their brand after 35 years of evolution.

To do this, we partnered with Brand & Story Coach, Greg Monaco. Greg helps people tell magnetic stories so they can attract the work they love. His brand process includes voices from the organization’s leadership, board, staff, and program participants.

The result was a brand storybook which serves as the foundational reference point for all the creative, marketing and design work moving forward.

From there we created a refreshed brand design system that resulted in a new logo, website, updated marketing and program materials, motion graphics, photography, and even a custom hand-written typeface.

The brand identity is anchored by the logo which is an evolution of its predecessor. The bold logotype provides a confidence in the organization’s impact through the years. To balance this, the type is refined with distinct curves providing a more personable feel. The “AP” is highlighted by reversing it out of the leaping box behind it. This is to highlight the Asian Pacific Islander community who is their focus. The tilted box provides movement and a visual cue of upward movement and action.

The tagline “Uncap Talent” helps people pull more meaning into their understanding of LEAP’s purpose. The word “uncap” has multiple meanings. LEAP helps to release the full potential—or “uncap”—Asian and Pacific Islander talent within organizations. It also means that Asian and Pacific Islanders who have created their own conscious or unconscious barriers can break through their personal “caps.” And, finally, Asian and Pacific Islanders will become “uncapped” throughout society if individuals and organizations start the process. LEAP helps to encourage and facilitate this vital transformation.

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Spoon+Fork are creative geniuses! We partnered with them on our rebrand 5 years ago, and love it as much today as we did back when we first introduced the new look and brand.

— Linda Akutagawa, LEAP, President & CEO

And though this work was done five years ago, we continue to work with LEAP through the years. At the moment we are in the midst of supporting them for their upcoming milestone 40th anniversary celebration. They have always put together a wonderful event continuing to honor and inspire API leaders. The celebration is July 21st, and you’re invited to celebrate with LEAP!

An exclusive peek at the invitation for the upcoming celebration. We collaborated with illustrator Sara Juarez to create this year’s key artwork. For a milestone year with a very meaningful theme, we aimed to create a visual that reflected the legacy LEAP has ushered since day one.

Rebranding LEAP was no small task. We invited many of our creative partners to be co-creators of the work. We are always at our best when we collaborate with others.

Created in partnership with Monaco Branding
Animations and motion graphics by Andrew Zoleta
Campaign photography by Bob Handelman
Campaign videos by Form Follows Function
Music by Nic Bommarito
Marketing strategy by Strathardle

Thank you to our team, collaborators, and most of all the dedicated team at LEAP. We look forward to creating with you for many years to come.

SEE THE WORK

Pining for a new read?

Consider these books by Asian/Pacific Islander writers.

Est. 2005

spoon+fork is a brand-focused design studio founded by Chez Bryan Ong, Pritsana Kootint-Hadiatmodjo, and Rika Koreeda. They create visual identities for brands, events, individuals, and organizations.

Logos + Packaging + Websites + Books + All Things Print + Most Things On-Screen

LET’S WORK TOGETHER