top of page
Keen Creative Marketing x Mango Hoi An Collaboration

mango
hoi an

CREATIVE  •  COPYWRITING  •  WEBSITE  •  SOCIAL  •  SEO  •  PAID ADS

HOI AN, VIETNAM • 2023

Telling a 20-year story of Vietnamese food and hospitality

Outdoor dining space at Mango Rooms Hoi An captured during Keen Agency’s branding photoshoot.

THE STORY

Trần Thanh Đức is one of Vietnam's most recognisable chefs. A boat refugee from the American War, who went on an international culinary journey and eventually returned to Vietnam, Đức has cooked for Gordon Ramsey, Mick Jagger, Tyra Banks, Jimmy Buffett, Eric Ripert and many others at his restaurants in Hoi An. 

In early 2023, Duc and his wife Ly gave us the task of telling the story of their three restaurants through a new website and on social media. Specifically, they needed help to share the 20-year history of the Mango Hoi An brand, and convey Duc's own unique upbringing and approach to cooking. 

Over many interviews and mouthwatering meals, we discovered the motivation behind Duc's famous generosity. When he fled overseas from Vietnam, people around the world took care of him, fed him, and gave him a feeling of belonging. Through his restaurants, Duc aims to give travellers the same sense of comfort via a taste of true Vietnamese hospitality.

THE BRAND

Our first task was to create a sub-brand and identity for each of the three restaurants in the Mango Hoi An Group: Mango Rooms, Mango Mango, and Mai Fish. We decided to link the entire group through shared art and typography, while giving distinct color palettes and logomarks to each restaurant. 

Our team worked closely with Duc, Ly, and Mango Hoi An's managers and staff to understand the strengths of each retaurant, its interior design, signature drinks and dishes, and source of the ingredients.

We helped highlight and define the values that connected all three restaurants - creativity, hospitality, quality, locality and humanity - and used these principles to steer our efforts in the next phase: content creation.
 
Visual identity elements and brand marks designed by Keen Creative Marketing Agency for Mango Hoi An restaurants.
Blue fish shape designed by Keen Creative Marketing Agency Vietnam as part of Mango Hoi An’s brand elements.
Light blue fish icon created by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam as part of Mango Hoi An’s visual branding system.
Deep green fish icon from Keen Creative’s branding palette for Mango Hoi An’s visual identity.
Fresh green fish icon from Keen Creative Marketing Agency’s brand system for Mango Hoi An.
Warm terracotta fish icon designed by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam for Mango Hoi An’s branding identity.
Bold orange fish icon designed by Keen Creative Marketing Agency as part of Mango Hoi An’s brand identity system.
Golden-yellow fish icon designed by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam for Mango Hoi An’s visual identity.
Golden fish icon from Keen Creative’s visual branding system for Mango Hoi An.
Black fish icon designed by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam as part of Mango Hoi An’s refined brand palette.
Sky blue fish icon created by Keen Creative Marketing Agency for Mango Hoi An’s visual identity system.
Light grey fish icon designed by Keen Creative Marketing Agency Vietnam as part of Mango Hoi An’s brand identity.
Soft pastel blue fish icon created by Keen Creative Tourism Marketing for Mango Hoi An’s brand identity.
Chef Duc smiling amid tropical greenery in a branding photoshoot for Mango Hoi An by Keen Creative Marketing Agency Vietnam.
Vibrant social media visuals highlighting positive guest feedback for Mango Hoi An by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam.

THE VISUALS

We were lucky to work with Hoi An-based photographer Francis Roux over a series of photoshoots for Mango Hoi An. Together we captured the entire story of Chef Duc's  three restaurants, and how they've been shaped by Hoi An itself - its ancient markets, organic farms, riverside setting and long coastline.

We worked with Bao Nguyen and his team at MD Studio to script, shoot, and edit three videos. Each video featured one of the restaurants and showcased a part of Hoi An relevant to Duc's adventures, placing his relationship with the location, ingredients, and his team at the center of the story.

THE PLATFORMS

After many years of not having a website, in March 2023 we launched a new platform for Mango Hoi An, as colorful as Duc's restaurants themselves.

The website showcased the venues in detail, and covered the full story of Chef Duc's journey from Vietnam and back. We added a simple booking form, menus, a media page, and extra pages to highlight the company's values and sustainable commitments. 

The Mango accounts on social media also went in for a makeover. On Facebook and Instagram, we updated the bios, refreshed the feed, cleaned out old albums, created artsy highlights, and developed branded templates for the most frequent post types and stories. 
Social media content created by Keen Creative Marketing Agency for Mango Hoi An’s restaurant group campaign.
Al fresco dining scene at Mango Mango Hoi An photographed for Keen Agency’s hospitality branding project.
Instagram story visuals created by Keen Tourism Marketing Vietnam for Mango Hoi An’s social media campaign.

THE RESULTS

Our team boosted the website through paid ad campaigns, and did in-depth search engine optimisation to help visitors find the new platform. We refined the local listings on Google Maps for the restaurants, and recruited a marketing manager to continue storytelling for the restaurants online.

Today, the Mango Hoi An online brand and presence is thriving, and guests from all over the world are able to find and enjoy Chef's Duc's one-of-a-kind artistry through his cooking and hospitality.

www.mangomangohoian.com
Digital branding and web design layouts created by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam for Mango Hoi An’s online presence.
Warm, intimate restaurant corner at Mango Rooms showcasing Keen Creative’s visual storytelling.
Romantic evening ambiance at Mango Mango Hoi An captured by Keen Tourism Marketing Agency Vietnam.
Scenic evening dining by the river at Mango Rooms Hoi An, art-directed by Keen Creative Marketing Agency Vietnam.

"Esther took the time to deeply understand our story, our values, and the heart behind our brand. With care and creativity, she brought that story to life, building a website that beautifully reflects the spirit of Chef Duc and his Mango family.  

We are grateful for her work and highly recommend her to anyone looking to build a meaningful and effective digital presence."

LY AND DUC, OWNERS, MANGO HOI AN

bottom of page