Nusa

Restaurant Re-branding

In this project, we are required to rebrand a locally owned restaurant using typography. We need to recreate the logo using a wordmark, deliver primary and secondary logo in full-color and black & white, establish the color palette & typography panel, redesign menu, stationery suite (letterhead, business card, & business envelope), one print ad, and two digital print ads. 

Behind the Concept

previous logo

Old Javanese Script

Nusa—meaning “island” in Old Javanese—is the first Indonesian restaurant to open in Charlotte, launching in November 2023. Located at 8200 Providence Rd #700, it is owned by PrimeFish. The restaurant’s Head Chef, Harry Susanto, is Indonesian, and the Executive Chef is Robin Anthony. They position their menu as authentic and affordable Indonesian cuisine.

Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia, spanning both Asia and Oceania, and is the world’s fourth most populous nation, with a Muslim-majority population. It is also one of the most linguistically diverse countries, with over 700 languages spoken.

Nusa’s current branding uses a bamboo-style typeface paired with a lotus icon. While visually appealing, the lotus motif is more commonly associated with Hindu-Buddhist countries such as Vietnam or Laos. Although the lotus can represent specific Indonesian regions like Bali, it is not broadly representative of Indonesia as a whole—especially given the country’s predominantly Muslim population. Since Nusa presents itself as an Indonesian restaurant in its entirety rather than a Balinese one, the current logo may not accurately reflect the nation’s cultural identity.

The Brand System

The Designs

Web banners

The Implementation