Responses by Min Lew, managing partner and executive creative director, Base Design.

Background: As matcha has recently grown in popularity in the US and global markets, the product has become commoditized. We set out to build a brand that would elevate the craft and ritual of matcha making in a contemporary way and, in so doing, set the new standard for matcha. We built the brand for matcha lovers: those who drink matcha regularly, understand its benefits, enjoy its taste and, above all, love how it makes them feel. They are matcha enthusiasts, ready to level up to an enhanced, exquisite experience.

Design thinking: In the early stages of creating the brand, we were inspired by the idea that matcha is a magical elixir of sorts. It enables us to tap into the power of nature, to awaken and feel deeply alive. So, the brand became all about “vitality.” The name expresses matcha as this active, vibrant, universal life force. In turn, we formed the identity from particles of vibrant matcha that come to life in the mark, in patterns and throughout the system.

Challenges: Finding the right balance in expressing the mastery and craft of 12 while positioning it as a contemporary icon was both a challenge and an opportunity.

The project also saw us expand into new ways of working. While we’re used to working as part of a multidisciplinary team, for 12, we served as creative directors, enlisting the help of a talented team, each a master in their respective field. Orchestrating multiple brilliant collaborators isn’t always easy. Our role was to harmonize these perspectives and curate an outcome that honors the art and philosophy of matcha making.

Favorite details: Our deep involvement in this project. We consulted with the 12 founders from day zero to shape a comprehensive vision for the brand, and we inputted to the country’s future direction.

Now, we’re seeing lines form outside the physical home of 12 on Bond Street in New York City and matcha diehards posting about it on TikTok—there’s real joy in seeing the world that we collectively created for 12 already becoming a fixture within the New York food and drink scene.

New lessons: From fine tuning the precise balance of umami, phytonutrients and depth for the perfect flavor profile to using charcoal filtration to enhance extraction, there is a meticulous science behind matcha making. A deep respect for this craft informed the brand philosophy and guided every creative decision we made.

Visual influences: The cyclical, vibrant energy that powers nature and infuses the matcha experience. The identity literally bursts into miniparticles, capturing the multifaceted sensations of drinking matcha and giving the brand a dynamic range of moods and movement. We also leaned fully into green as a symbol of vitality and serenity while moving away from conventional category codes with more punctual, intentional use of a distinctive green.

basedesign.com