Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp by Huy Nguyen Tran

Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp by Huy Nguyen Tran is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award yn Brûns in Reklame, Marketing en Kommunikaasje Ûntwerp Competition Category.

BrûnsReklame· 2026

Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp

by Huy Nguyen Tran

Client: Huong

A' Design Award yn Brûns Winner in Reklame Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #178292

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp

Huong is in branding- en ferpakkingsprojekt foar in eigentiids Fietnameesk wijreekmerk. It ûntwerp jout in nije ynterpretaasje oan foarâlderferearing as in rêstich sintúchlik ritueel foar jongere generaasjes. De kleuren folgje de Fiif Eleminten, en de struktuer fan de ferpakking is ôflaat fan de Seis Harmonyen en it tradisjonele hûs mei trije fertrekken. De set omfettet in seishoekige haaddoaze, seis binnenste wijreekdoazen, twa wijreekhâlders en printe materialen. In byhearrende webside mei de namme Gap wreidet itselde fisuele systeem út, wêrtroch't besikers ynteraksje hawwe kinne mei foarâldersilhûetten dy't foarme wurde út harren eigen skaad.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award yn Brûns

Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Brûns, in heech prestisjeuze erkenning foar treflike ûntwerpen dy't har ûnderskiede troch kreativiteit, fernuft en tûkens. Brûnswinners binne tige feardige en opfallend kreative artefakten dy't de grutte ûnderfining, ferbylding en betochtsumens fan har ûntwerpers befêstigje. Fan Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp wurdt ferwachte dat it in tige heech achte, bewûndere en dierber objekt is dat opmerklik profesjoneel en ynnovatyf is. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Brûns yntegrearret de bêste praktiken yn keunst, wittenskip, ûntwerp en technology en is treflik om syn omtinken foar detail. Huong Incense Merkidentiteit, Ferpakkingsûntwerp foldocht behoeften prachtich, reitsjet winsken, betsjoeveret gefoelens en sprekt nijsgjirrigens oan.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Huong (Scent) is a contemporary incense brand that reinterprets Vietnamese ancestor worship for younger generations through a refined sensory-wellness ritual. Distinctive strengths include a heritage-led identity system, Five Elements color logic, and packaging architecture derived from Six Harmonies and traditional three-compartment house typology. The project is extended by Gap (Meet), an interactive platform where users’ shadow-based ancestral silhouettes connect personal memory with collective lineage.
Dimensions & Packaging: The set includes 1 hexagonal master box, 6 inner incense boxes, 2 incense holders, and supporting printed materials (brochure, leaflet, instruction card). The structure is based on Six Harmonies and a three-panel opening inspired by traditional Vietnamese altar-house layouts. The package combines symbolic storytelling and practical usability, while the Gap (Meet) website extends the same visual system into an interactive digital ritual journey.
Tags: Renovative, Original, Respect, Nostalgic, Mythical
Production Technology: We developed Huong through a research-led creative process that blends cultural storytelling with contemporary brand execution. The system includes identity design, pattern development, structural packaging prototyping, 3D visualization, and interactive web design. From logo to layout, each element was refined through iterative testing to keep the experience meaningful, clear, and emotionally engaging across print, object, and digital touchpoints.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was modernizing a sacred tradition without reducing it to decoration. We needed to balance spiritual authenticity with contemporary aesthetics across language, form, and interaction. Another challenge was building one coherent narrative across packaging and digital media. Through repeated cultural review and design iteration, we achieved a system that feels both respectful and relevant to younger audiences.
Research: This project uses qualitative cultural and design research. Our objective was to renew Vietnamese ancestor worship for younger generations. We combined desk research, visual analysis, and iterative prototyping, using historical references, folklore symbols, packaging mockups, and interaction wireframes. Team critiques and user readability checks guided refinement. The result is a clear, heritage-led brand experience that strengthens cultural continuity and makes ritual practice more approachable in modern life.
Inspiration: Huong was inspired by Vietnam’s fading tradition of ancestor worship and the profound symbolism of incense as a bridge between worlds. Through cultural research on Vietnamese rituals, Vietnamese Gods, Spiritual Deities, Five Elements Theory, and the Yin–Yang philosophy, the project reinterprets these heritage elements into modern packaging and digital experiences—reviving spiritual values and reconnecting younger generations with their ancestral roots.
Project Duration: The project started in April 2025 and finished in November 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Operation Flow: The experience begins as users open the hexagonal master box, revealing six incense sets arranged like chapters of a story. Each box unfolds smoothly, guiding the user through layers of discovery—from lighting incense, uncovering its meaning, knowing more about Ancestral Worshipping and Vietnamese Incense Village.

The Gap (Meet) website extends this ritual digitally, letting users interact with ancestral silhouettes inspired by their own shadow—turning a simple act into a personal, spiritual reunion.
Team Members: Director: Huy Nguyen
Designer: Linh Bui
Designer: Thanh Nguyen
Motion Designer: An Do
Copywriter: Mai Phuong Le
Copywriter: Thien My Bui
Motion Designer: Thanh Dang
3D Supervisor: Thu Pham
3D Designer: Khanh Nguyen
Instructor: Ha Van Minh