Instant Noodles With a Taste for Adventure: KOKA Website

In 2014, Sparkle Design called me up to see if I would help create website copy for a new and revamped KOKA. The instant noodle brand, born and bred in Singapore, was about to update their packaging and introduce new variants, including a purple wheat noodle (as a healthier alternative) and several travel-inspired flavours like Chili and Lime (Thailand comes to mind) as well as Aglio Olio (Viva Italia!). This was a move clearly inspired by research findings that have revealed a sizeable segment of 18-30-year-old instant-noodle-loving youths.

I wasn't involved in the design process and I must say I wish that they'd done a better job with it. It's a very simple grid-based design and the only 'movement' or break in rigidity to its appearance is the slanted panel on which the menu sits. Everything else seems dated.

There's an attempt to looking 'youthful' and 'modern', of course, via the 'Did You Know?' segment under 'Inspiration', which features a Warholian technicolour touch. But because it seems like such an after-thought, it makes the brand seem a tad schizophrenic. Perhaps, the client is new to the idea of branding and design language. Perhaps, the agency struggled to convince them of its value. Hopefully, over time, they'll have another opportunity at giving this kooky noodle brand the visual personality it deserves.