Caulder Moore overhauls Ping Pong brand

Caulder Moore is overhauling the brand and positioning of dim sum restaurant Ping Pong.

The new Ping Pong identity by Caulder Moore
The new Ping Pong identity by Caulder Moore

The consultancy says it won a four-way pitch in January after demonstrating that Ping Pong’s communication can be better aligned with its core offer and essence, ‘Little steamed parcels of deliciousness’.

A new identity has already been developed, which will launch in November when the new interiors, designed by Andy Martin Architects, are unveiled.

The new positioning draws on Chinese cultural references and introduces a primary soft red palette with green tones and a secondary palette of charcoal grey and beige for texture.

A roundel identity has been chosen because of the use of the circle in Chinese symbolism according to Caulder Moore designer Katy Stamp who says, ‘It also symbolises the beginning and the end of a new year, and a plate of food.’

The ‘i’ of Ping Pong is the divisible line down the middle of the identity. The logo will be applied to doors as a carved wooden block, and on double doors this will divide on the ‘i’.

Signage, menus, table dressings, uniforms, promotions, events, photography and a full range of printed collateral as well as new brand guidelines are being developed.

‘Different moods’ will be evoked in each part of the restaurant, which is known for its dim sum, cocktails, and tea.

The cocktail area will reference ‘the urban side of Shanghai chic’ through photographs, which will be applied to walls and used across menus and printed materials, according to Stamp.

‘The tea bar will be more relaxed with silks and the softer brown and beige colours,’ says Stamp.

Uniforms worn by staff in each area will reflect these palettes and the style – particularly of the chef’s uniform – will reference Chinese dress.

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Comments
  • Anthony Morgan November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    On first impressions I thought this logo was/is really striking but the layout of the letters is really frustrating. The symmetry with the letters fails on the N in the bottom left – surely that needs to be flipped to be consistent with everything else?!

  • Mat Dolphin November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Is anyone else struggling to read the word ‘Ping Pong’ in the logo?

  • ben@cmykben.co.uk November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Very pretty indeed but awful layout…still can’t work out how it reads Ping Pong!

  • Stuart Oldridge November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I think the logo has the unique ability to be read on more than one level, a bit like an Escher drawing, as I am still going backwards and forwards trying to work out what it says. Or am I missing the point?

  • John Slater November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Really bad. Completely unreadable. I have no idea how this made it past any kind of user-acceptance testing. They should do a ‘GAP’ and stick with the original.

  • James November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Maybe I’m missing an inside joke the designer has but I fail to read the words Ping or Pong anywhere in the ‘logo’. An idea that has been stretched out too far? Not a striking piece of design and misses the core values of legibility. All in all, better luck next time

  • Alan gilbody November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    “Hello John, is that you?”
    “Yes mate, where are you”
    “I’m just outside the restaurant”
    “Great! Which one?”
    “Hang on.. Pinpig, errr Pigpog or summat”
    Says it all really. Look, it’s easy to be critical but this fails on quite a few levels…
    – what is it called?
    – what is it trying to say to me about the brand?
    – what are the selling?

  • Alan November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    “Hello John, is that you?”
    “Yes mate, where are you”
    “I’m just outside the restaurant”
    “Great! Which one?”
    “Hang on.. Pinpig, errr Pigpog or summat”
    Says it all really. Look, it’s easy to be critical but this fails on quite a few levels…
    – what is it called?
    – what is it trying to say to me about the brand?
    – what are the selling?

  • Jane MacIver November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    This is not good – why design a logo where the name of the brand is completely impossible to see – also absolutely shocking colour palette – certainly does not make me think of dim sum

  • Caroline King November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I was trying to read Ping Pong but all I saw was Gon, nog and oOo.

    As for having to TELL us there is an ‘i’ in the design has failed all round. Shame as it’s simple and clean and will work well on all the items mentioned.

  • David Bean November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    i like it but it also massively frustrates me – which i think, in the end, makes it a good logo. I cant read it and it doesn’t make sense how the letters are positioned, clearly they wanted the vertical and horizontal lines to be there and work the letters around them.

    However, i think its good, as it made me look at it for longer than 5 seconds and i had a reaction to it – which IMO – makes a good logo – also – it looks like a plate of noodles

  • Rob newton November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Nice reference to a table tennis table or some kind of sports pitch though.

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