goodest
in a nutshell
goodest is more than just a coffee shop—it’s a playful, inviting space designed as the heart of Chai Wan. Founded by locals and creative veterans from kith&kin and On Air Collective, goodest was created as both a love letter to their neighborhood and a much-needed community hub. In an area where factories, auto-shops, and creative studios coexist, goodest offers a warm hangout where ideas are shared, partnerships forged, and the community comes together over great coffee—and some goodest pets.
The visual identity reflects the founders’ love of dogs while embracing goodest’s approachable, playful personality. Friendly typography and simple, dog-inspired illustrations make the brand feel welcoming, collaborative, and just a little quirky.
the challenge
The challengeChai Wan is a remote, industrial neighborhood in Hong Kong, with few spaces for leisure or community gathering. The founders wanted goodest to be both polished enough for the creative crowd and approachable for mechanics and locals—a spot that didn’t feel intimidating or out of place. Limited budget added another layer of difficulty, requiring clever solutions to keep packaging and branding sustainable over time.
how we got there
We designed an identity that balanced creativity with warmth—playful enough to stand out yet simple enough to feel approachable in its industrial surroundings. Inspired by our team’s love of dogs, we developed intentionally imperfect, “badly drawn” illustrations to capture silliness, loyalty, and joy. These became the heart of the visual system, supported by clear type and minimal graphics to keep communication accessible.
The system was built to scale, with flexible elements like a simple sticker label system for packaging. This approach kept costs low while ensuring consistency and adaptability as the brand grow. Playful, dog-inspired visuals and approachable graphics created a brand that reflects goodest’s community spirit—welcoming both neighbors and their four-legged friends.
the hat(s) I wore for this project
As one of the design lead, I directed the creative and art direction, concept development, and execution across brand identity, packaging, motion graphics, and illustration. I crafted a playful system that extended from physical packaging to digital experiences, ensuring the brand’s quirky, dog-loving character came through everywhere.
One of the key challenges was budget. I solved this by designing a cost-effective sticker label system, making packaging easy to produce in-house, consistent, and scalable without expensive runs. I also brought the brand to life with animations and motion pieces, giving it energy across touchpoints.
While I focused on illustration, graphics, and motion, another designer led the cafe’s spatial design. Together, we ensured goodest’s identity extended seamlessly from packaging to physical space.
