The following is excerpted from the client’s brief. In it, the client also included photos of existing restaurants and identities which she felt were relevant, as well as images of Vietnam, where this is the native cuisine.

Décor Concept: “hip Asian diner/gourmet sandwich shop”

Name: Bun Mee

Overview: We are a gourmet Vietnamese-inspired sandwich shop that seeks to move this popular street food item out of the alleyways of Chinatown and onto Main Street. Although bánh mì is the only sandwich to come out of Asia, it is still relatively unknown by mainstream Americans. We see our role as educators and innovators of this food item. We want to make our food accessible, fun and—most of all—delicious. Everything we serve is fresh and prepared in-house, using recipes that belong to my Vietnamese mother in collaboration with distinguished San Francisco chefs from the Culinary Edge. We pay careful attention to sourcing high-quality ingredients locally, whenever possible. We want to serve good food with heart. We hope to build a brand that is synonymous with gourmet bánh mì sandwiches.

Similar concepts: Num Pang Sandwich Shop (New York City), Baoguette (New York City), Nom Nom Truck (Los Angeles), Spice Kit (San Francisco), Baguette Box (Seattle), Xie Xie (New York City), Out the Door (ferry building, San Francisco) and Lee’s Sandwiches (San Francisco)

Branding: Our brand should express hip, urban energy that is charming and witty, with an artisanal feel.

Target Market: Young San Francisco urbanites, college grads and professionals in their twenties, thirties and forties who are ethnically diverse, well-traveled and educated. Many would label themselves foodies.

Menu: The star of our menu consists of nine specialty bánh mì sandwiches. Some of our sandwiches are a higher quality version of current traditional bánh mì offerings; most others are creative new options that are unique to our brand while staying consistent with Southeast Asian flavors. We will also serve meal salads, rice bowls, desserts and appetizers, including sweet potato fries, grilled corn, imperial rolls and salad rolls. For beverages, we are serving house-made sodas, imported Asian beers, wine, Vietnamese coffee and teas. Bánh mì sandwiches are a street food item in Vietnam. They are a staple of Vietnamese cuisine but are considered simple food for workers. They are always served by outdoor street food vendors. We want to capture a bit of this experience for our customers.

Overall customer impression: The customer should feel as though they are in a bustling urban Asian diner/sandwich shop. Key elements include an open kitchen and a shelf display of baguettes, tea, coffee, spices, etc. I prefer clean lines for the counter, tables, chairs and stools but want an element of thoughtful whimsy that adds character and charm in the smaller details—in the lighting fixtures, hanging paper lanterns, art work, bench pillows, table setting, condiment setting and table, food displays, etc. The space should emote a feeling of casualness, comfort and warmth—a homegrown neighborhood spot that provides credibility and context for the food.

Read the full case study with juror comments here: [http://www.aiga.org/justified-2012--case-study--bun-mee-branding/]