LUCKY MĀO
Brand Strategy · Creative Direction · Identity Design · Go-To-Market
Watch Launch video here.
“Where Fortune Meets Flavor.”
Lucky Māo was created to launch a new cuisine category within Orbital Kitchens.
Chinese takeout is one of the most iconic and high-demand delivery categories, but it is often dominated by traditional, interchangeable brands with little differentiation.
The opportunity was clear:
Create a delivery-first Chinese takeout brand that feels modern, memorable, and culturally relevant.
The Vision
We set out to build a brand that stood apart from the sea of generic takeout options.
Modern. Edgy. Distinct.
A brand that felt as intentional as a restaurant, even if it only existed through delivery.
I led the concept end to end, developing the brand strategy, identity, logo, and overall creative direction.
The Strategy
With an extremely limited marketing budget, we focused on what we could control:
The experience.
Every touchpoint, from packaging to messaging to digital presence, was designed to make the brand feel intentional and memorable.
We developed a launch campaign supported by a small paid media effort that drove customers directly to our ordering platform, prioritizing owned channels over third-party reliance.
Brand & Creative
The brand was anchored by the line:
“Where Fortune Meets Flavor.”
We brought this idea to life through custom fortune cookies included in orders, where customers could win real prizes.
This turned a familiar cultural element into an interactive brand experience and created surprise-and-delight moments tied directly to the product.
Marketing & Growth
We built a scrappy, high-impact strategy to drive awareness and trial:
• Pop-ups across NYC food markets to bring a delivery-only brand into the physical world
• Partnerships with Chinese cultural events and festivals
• Small video campaign with three NYC foodie influencers
• Content and ads across Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash
• Custom merch and packaging inserts included in orders
• Focus groups with customers to continuously refine the product and experience
Every initiative was designed to extend the brand beyond the screen and into real-life interaction.
Launch Moment
To anchor the brand culturally, we hosted an intimate launch dinner for 40 curated NYC foodies, artists, and top customers, transforming an apartment into a one-night-only restaurant.
Impact
• Top 10 performing brand within Orbital Kitchens
• $1.8M in revenue generated
• Successfully differentiated within one of the most saturated delivery categories