During our meeting we decided on two brands:
/ Coffee Republic
/ Ya Kun Kaya Toast
Once I got home I was increasingly unsure about using the brand 'Ya Kun Kaya Toast' as it was a hard name to pronounce and after some research appeared to be a rather small brand (that wouldn't necessarily ask a design team to create four seasonal campaigns)
We wanted to use an Eastern coffee brand and a Western coffee brand so that we could create two very different campaigns. With this in mind I researched some other Oriental coffee houses and came across the brand 'Holly's Coffee'...
Holly's Coffee is a specialty coffee company headquartered in Korea. The company was established in 1998 and opened Korea's first espresso shop that year. Its shops offer espresso, coffee, tea, coffee- and tea-based cold and hot specialty drinks, a variety of pastries and other snacks, and coffee supplies. By 2008 there were more than 100 Holly's Coffee shops in Korea, and the franchise had expanded with additional stores in Japan and Malaysia.
Websites:
www.hollys.co.kr (Korean site - quite a cool site!)
www.hollys.co.kr (english site)
Hollys in the USA (THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008)
Hollys Coffee, Korea's largest coffeehouse chain, opened its first store in the United States on Sunday. The company's American debut in Los Angeles, California, follows Hollys' first overseas entry in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last year, with plans to open two more stores this year.
Hollys's entry into the United States signals Korea's readiness to compete in the global market with a build-up of know-how and expertise in the art and management of coffee brewing. I think through Hollys coffee, the people can share Korea's coffee-drinking culture and the unique beverage menu that it provides for consumers in the home market. In fact, The L.A. shop features Hollys' yogurt-based shakes and its sweet potato latte. So, This store opening is an achievement that comes from the confidence of a Korean brand's interpretation of Western coffee culture. It is proud for korean that we have received recognition in the home market competing with mammoth brands. I expect it become a global brand with the unique ambiance and taste of Hollys Coffee.
FINAL BRANDS (after a group discussion)
1/ Coffee Republic
2/ Holly's Coffee
