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ZhenJiang Vinegar

Scope & Press

Branding Packaging Art Direction
DÈBUT 24 GALLERY SHOW 2024

Summary

ZhenJiang vinegar is more than a condiment—it is a cultural symbol from my hometown, steeped in history and tradition. For this project, I was tasked with rebranding and repackaging this beloved product to resonate with a modern, global audience while preserving its deeply rooted identity.

Unlike typical commercial projects, this design journey was personal. It required navigating the nuances of cultural expression, language, and authenticity. As someone unfamiliar with designing in Chinese, the process became a quiet yet profound exploration of identity, bridging the gap between my heritage and a broader design language.

Previous Design

Cherished by generations yet visually outdated, the vinegar’s identity needed a reframe—something that could speak to both cultural authenticity and modern aesthetics. 

Inspiration

Longevity peach

Inspired by the Chinese “longevity peach” (壽桃)—a traditional steamed bun shaped like a peach and given as a blessing for long life—this packaging project draws upon cultural motifs to breathe new life into a time-honored food brand.

The gradient of soft pink fading into pale green references the gentle color transition found in actual longevity peaches. It’s a subtle nod to heritage, echoing both the symbolism of health and the brand’s own generational legacy.

But beyond reverence, there’s also rebellion. In a food market often dominated by predictable, mass-market design, this aesthetic choice was a deliberate disruption. The surreal, candy-like palette catches the eye and invites curiosity—pushing tradition into the present with a gentle yet provocative visual jolt.


The minimal logo sits confidently atop a soft pink-to-white gradient, allowing the identity to breathe while evoking the gentle warmth of a 
longevity peach.




 A green cap completes the system—symbolizing the leaf, and rooting the product in its natural, cultural origins.
Rooted in tradition, FZ QingKe brings quiet elegance to the brand’s Chinese voice. 


Paired with FZ QingKe, it forms a dialogue between East and West—tradition and restraint, history and newness.Tonally, we treated the gradient not just as a background, but as the emotional center of the brand. The pink-to-green transition became a unifying visual thread across the system—soft yet striking, nostalgic yet new.


This wasn’t just about vinegar. The goal was to craft something fashionable—an object people would be proud to carry, display, and gift.