Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu by Yitian Zeng

Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu by Yitian Zeng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Rino in Hoahoa Takai Competition Category.

RinoTakai· 2025

Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu

by Yitian Zeng

Client: Stickman

A' Design Award Rino Winner in Takai Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #164180

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Colors

The Design

About Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu

Kupu Pukapuka: Ko Stickman he tuakiri waitohu i hoahoatia mō tētahi toa tī pūkohu i Kansas City. Ko te tuakiri e ahu mai ana i tētahi āhua mascot whakahoahoa e tohu ana i ngā mea nui e rua e tukuna ana e te toa, arā ko te tī pūkohu me ngā kai tui. I hangaia te toi mā te whakaahua matihiko me te tuhi vector, nō reira ka taea te whakarahi i te hoahoa me te kore e ngoikore te mārama. Ka puta a Stickman ki runga i ngā kara whakaatu, i tētahi tohu whakamārama, i ngā korowai mahi, i ngā ārai matapihi, i ngā kapu, i ngā korokoro inu, me ngā pēke tuku kai, i te whakarewa konganuku, kākahu, me te polypropylene. Ko te whāinga he āhua mahana, whakauru hoki mō ngā manuhiri o ngā pakeke katoa.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Rino

Ko Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu te toa o te A' Design Award Rino, he whakaaetanga whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa pai e whakatutuki ana i ngā hiahia ngaio me te ahumahi e tūmanakohia ana mai i ngā mahi kua hoahoatia pai. Ko ngā toa Rino e whakaatu ana i te pukenga nui, te tohungatanga teitei, te māramatanga mātanga me te kaha auaha o ō rātou kaihanga. E tūmanakohia ana ko Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu he mahi whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he whaihua, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Rino e whakakotahi ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa o te ahumahi, ā, he āhuatanga hangarau pūkenga tōna e hono ana ki te mōhio me te pūmanawa. E whakahonoretia ana a Stickman Kaupapa Matua: Tuakiri Waitohu mō tōna tōtika, ā, i hoahoatia hei whakapai ake i te kounga o te oranga me te āwhina i te ao kia pai ake.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Stickman, a bubble tea shop in Kansas City, opened in May 2024 with the slogan "bubble tea and stick bite." It quickly gained popularity for its cute brand design, high-quality tea, and snacks. The shop’s warm, inclusive service caters to all age groups, earning a 4.8/5 on Google reviews. Stickman’s visually engaging branding and customer-centric experience have attracted attention from local food media and influencers, establishing it as a key player in Kansas City's food scene.
Dimensions & Packaging: The Stickman brand design is applied on various in-store and promotional assets, including a 12 ft x 4 ft banner, 12 ft x 6 ft LED business sign, and printed materials such as aprons, curtains, cups, straws, and delivery bags. Materials used include metal, fabric, and polypropylene. The design is scalable, ensuring consistency and clarity across both physical products and digital platforms.
Tags: branding, shop, packaging design, illustration
Production Technology: The Stickman brand was created using digital illustration and vector design in Adobe Illustrator, ensuring scalability for various applications. The design process involved research into local food trends and customer preferences to align the visuals with the target audience. Emphasis was placed on a playful yet clean aesthetic, ensuring versatility across digital platforms, print media, and physical signage.
Design Challenge: The challenge was designing a brand that reflected Kansas City diverse cultural and economic landscape. While the city is known for its agricultural roots, it also has a growing multicultural food scene. Balancing this with the shop identity was key. Researching customer preferences across age groups ensured the brand resonated with the community diversity.
Research: The research focused on local food trends, especially snack shops and tea places. Objectives included understanding customer preferences through interviews with various age groups and a 1 on 1 interview with the store owner to align the design with their expectations. Data collected informed the brand and customer service. The shop achieved a 4.8 out of 5 Google rating and highly recommended on Yelp, demonstrating the brands success in creating a memorable and diverse customer experience.
Inspiration: The inspiration for Stickman came from the desire to create a fun, approachable brand for all ages. The playful character and combination of bubble tea and skewer snacks represent the shop’s unique offerings. The design reflects Stickman’s mission of providing a warm, inclusive experience, symbolized by the mascot’s friendly expression. Local food trends and customer preferences were key to shaping the visual identity, ensuring it resonates with Kansas City’s diverse audience.
Project Duration: The project was done within 8 months and was launched officially in May 2024.
Operation Flow: The Stickman brand creates a seamless interaction between the customer and the shop identity. The friendly mascot and visuals immediately catch attention, making the experience fun and memorable. The consistent design across banners, signs, packaging, and uniforms enhances brand recognition. Customers easily associate the playful visuals with the shops high-quality service, creating a welcoming atmosphere that improves overall customer satisfaction.
Image Credits: Image: Yitian Zeng, 2024.