Longhuli is a new retail destination for dining, fashion, entertainment and parties. Developed near “Dragon Lake” in Zhengzhou, China, the 20,000 sqm project features restaurants, cafes, bakeries and bars as well as several fashion and furniture stores, a bookshop and a children’s workshop zone. Zhengzhou has seen a steady rise in consumer demand for high quality lifestyle products and experiences which served as a motivation for this retail destination.
The brand challenge was to help Longhuli appear elegant and tasteful, yet neutral in style as to not overpower the other brands joining the culinary community. Through years of experience, the team behind Longhuli claimed that most of family dining, shopping and entertainment choices are made by the women in the family or amongst friends, therefore the brand identity was designed towards the female customer.
The brand identity toolkit features a solid striking yellow colour, simple black typography and a collection of elegant geometric patterns. The modernity of the typography and the simplicity of the brand helps to give it an international feel that would attract the youth who follow current trends. To give a sense of place, a tagline was added by JWDK. “The Art of Celebration” positioned Longhuli as a high-end social destination and eludes to the artistry of the food design.
Before the official opening of Longhuli, several art and fashion events were stayed in the underground car park and promoted through social media influencers. This place activation strategy attracted a few hundred dans to this ‘secret’ location, positioning the development as a ‘cool’ go-to place for new products and exclusive events.
Longhuli ‘soft-launched’ in December 2018 and has grown slowly yet effectively by the right retail brands joining the community. The location has attracted KOLs, corporate events, fashion shows as well as everyday diners and business people.
