Logo Design for Local Agricultural Product Development of Thai Jasmine Rice Leaf Tea “ThaiSuwan” Brand, Roi Et Province

Abstract

This research examines how graphic design can connect local products with the global market by developing a brand (Underwood, Klein, and Burke, 2001) for an agricultural product in Roi-Et, Thailand. Using the Community Enterprise Career Promotion case study of “Baanmao Group”, a marketing strategy is developed for their organic rice and vegetable products. The featured product of “Baanmao Group” is Thai Jasmine Rice Leaf Tea called “ThaiSuwan”, which derives its unique flavor from a very specific region in Roi Et. This region, historically underdeveloped & impoverished, has recently been successful with sustainable development of its natural resources, providing its aging population with new opportunities to expand its sales in global markets.

            Graphic design is critical to create a logo that properly captures the unique quality of this local product. This research identifies “Factors of Logo Design”: criteria to determine designs that effectively promote community products. Workshops are established to engage local artisans from “Baanmao Group” in a dialogue with design students from Mahasarakham University. They discussed the value of authentic products, and the opportunity to share a piece of Thai culture worldwide. These workshops informed the work of the design students, yielding 23 logo design models. The research tool was a questionnaire containing rating scales for the 23 logo designs. The target sample was 200 people in the Northeast Thailand.

            The results of this study found that most preferred logos based on a traditional “Thai Jasmine Rice” design. This included leaf-detail designs, with colors and fonts that reflect the style and perception of natural products by the local community.