CLIENT BRIEF

"The vision for Chimney Coffee is to build a brand that draws from my personal background and experiences growing up in Los Angeles and living between Los Angeles and Bangkok since the age of nine. I want the brand and packaging design to reflect the parallels between these two cities—both sprawling, diverse urban centers that balance vibrant city life with proximity to nature. While we’ve traditionally referenced brick in our identity, that element is already represented in our “Chimney Cup” logo, so we’re looking to move away from it in this new design direction.For our Thai audience, we want to emphasize the “L.A.” side of the brand, and for our Los Angeles audience, we want to highlight the distinct “Thai” influence—creating a cross-cultural intrigue that feels authentic and modern. We’re located in Chinatown, Los Angeles near the State Historic Park (formerly the Cornfields), and in the Rama 3 area of Bangkok—both adjacent to rivers, the LA River and the Chao Phraya River. I’d love to see those geographic parallels represented, perhaps through forms inspired by the park or the unique peninsula bend of the Chao Phraya.Ultimately, Chimney Coffee should embody the energy, diversity, and evolution of both cities—urban yet natural, modern yet familiar. I want the branding to practically scream “L.A.” and “Bangkok” at the same time: a concrete jungle that feels like home."

Client
Chimney Coffee
Year
2024
Services
Packaging Design - Bag + Label System
Industry
Food & Beverage, Small Business, Minority Owned Business

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Based on the client’s request, we developed a design system that merges Los Angeles and Bangkok through a shared visual language. Using a traditional Thai bamboo illustration style, we created two complementary artworks: one depicting Bangkok’s Bhumibol Bridge and the other an iconic Los Angeles park. The two scenes are designed with inverted black and white spaces, forming a yin-yang composition that pays homage to the Chinatown roots of both cafés. This shape also echoes the flowing curves of the rivers referenced by the client — the LA River and the Chao Phraya River.

To further emphasize the duality of place, we added the phrases “Roasted in Los Angeles” and “Inspired by Bangkok” above each illustration. The main body of the bag features the updated Chimney Coffee logo stretched across the bottom, with vertically offset labels designed to evoke the form of a chimney.

Each regional label takes on its own artistic tone: Los Angeles editions are influenced by the city’s vibrant graffiti and street-art culture, while Bangkok editions use a softer Chinese watercolor style featuring landmark monuments. On the back, concise brand storytelling sits beneath the original Chimney icon, while a playful lucky cat easter egg adds warmth and cultural charm to the bottom panel.

before & after

label designs

Each label and gusset illustration was hand-drawn by our team using Adobe Illustrator and a Wacom tablet, combining traditional artistry with modern digital craftsmanship.
  • ★★★★★
    “Wow! I really love this design! It’s exactly what I had envisioned for our rebrand. The color work on the labels adds such a dynamic touch and pops beautifully against the black and white of the bag. Seeing the finished piece from all angles, it looks amazing — absolutely perfect. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out."
    Amnaj Bholsangngam - Owner, Chimney Coffee

  • Final Approved Design

    The PCKG team produced the approved bag design, which is now available for purchase both online and in-store at Chimney Coffee locations in Los Angeles and Bangkok.

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