Press Release
Stickman Brand Design by Yitian Zeng Receives the A' Design Award in Packaging Design
The international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Yitian Zeng for packaging design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Stickman Brand Design by Yitian Zeng, designed for Stickman, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Packaging Design category. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the A' Design Award Means
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
About Stickman Brand Design
Stickman is a brand identity designed for a bubble tea shop in Kansas City. The identity is based on a friendly mascot character that represents the two main offerings of the shop, bubble tea and skewer snacks. The artwork was made with digital illustration and vector drawing, so the design can be scaled without loss of clarity. Stickman appears on banners, an illuminated sign, aprons, curtains, cups, straws and delivery bags, in metal, fabric and polypropylene. The intent is a warm and inclusive look for visitors of all ages.
About Yitian Zeng
Award-winning product designer with over 7 years of experience leading high-impact design initiatives across U.S. and international markets. Recognized for transforming complex systems into intuitive, scalable digital experiences that drive engagement and growth. Expertise includes user-centered design, design systems, and rapid prototyping, focusing on consumer apps, emerging technologies (AR/VR, AI), and social platforms. Contributions have significantly impacted multiple funded startups and resulted in award-winning products, including a Red Dot Design Award-winning sustainability platform.
Award Record
This recognition makes Yitian Zeng a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Packaging Design Award
The A' Packaging Design Award is an international packaging competition that recognizes outstanding packaging designs by talented packaging designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to packaging designers, graphic designers, branding agencies and product manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include bottles, boxes, cans, pouches, tubes and cartons. Awarded packaging designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/packaging
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/164180
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/164180
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!164180
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/356816
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://rb.gy/dlr9fv
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Stickman Brand Design
- Function
- Brand Design
- Category
- Packaging Design
- Discipline
- Communication Design
- Industry
- Packaging & Retail, Branding & Advertising and Manufacturing
- Colors
- Gray, Rosy Brown, Gainsboro, Light Gray and Sienna
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Stickman
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yitian Zeng
- Country
- United States of America
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #164180
Credits
- Image Credits
- Image: Yitian Zeng, 2024.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Stickman, a bubble tea shop in Kansas City, opened in May 2024 with the slogan "bubble tea and stick bite." It quickly gained popularity for its cute brand design, high-quality tea, and snacks. The shop’s warm, inclusive service caters to all age groups, earning a 4.8/5 on Google reviews. Stickman’s visually engaging branding and customer-centric experience have attracted attention from local food media and influencers, establishing it as a key player in Kansas City's food scene.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for Stickman came from the desire to create a fun, approachable brand for all ages. The playful character and combination of bubble tea and skewer snacks represent the shop’s unique offerings. The design reflects Stickman’s mission of providing a warm, inclusive experience, symbolized by the mascot’s friendly expression. Local food trends and customer preferences were key to shaping the visual identity, ensuring it resonates with Kansas City’s diverse audience.
- Research
- The research focused on local food trends, especially snack shops and tea places. Objectives included understanding customer preferences through interviews with various age groups and a 1 on 1 interview with the store owner to align the design with their expectations. Data collected informed the brand and customer service. The shop achieved a 4.8 out of 5 Google rating and highly recommended on Yelp, demonstrating the brands success in creating a memorable and diverse customer experience.
- Challenge
- The challenge was designing a brand that reflected Kansas City diverse cultural and economic landscape. While the city is known for its agricultural roots, it also has a growing multicultural food scene. Balancing this with the shop identity was key. Researching customer preferences across age groups ensured the brand resonated with the community diversity.
- Realization and Technology
- The Stickman brand was created using digital illustration and vector design in Adobe Illustrator, ensuring scalability for various applications. The design process involved research into local food trends and customer preferences to align the visuals with the target audience. Emphasis was placed on a playful yet clean aesthetic, ensuring versatility across digital platforms, print media, and physical signage.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Stickman brand creates a seamless interaction between the customer and the shop identity. The friendly mascot and visuals immediately catch attention, making the experience fun and memorable. The consistent design across banners, signs, packaging, and uniforms enhances brand recognition. Customers easily associate the playful visuals with the shops high-quality service, creating a welcoming atmosphere that improves overall customer satisfaction.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project was done within 8 months and was launched officially in May 2024.
- Specifications
- The Stickman brand design is applied on various in-store and promotional assets, including a 12 ft x 4 ft banner, 12 ft x 6 ft LED business sign, and printed materials such as aprons, curtains, cups, straws, and delivery bags. Materials used include metal, fabric, and polypropylene. The design is scalable, ensuring consistency and clarity across both physical products and digital platforms.
- Keywords
- branding, shop, packaging design, illustration
