A conceptual poster campaign exploring human habits through repetition, typography, and uncomfortable questions that invite awareness and choice.
Project type
Academic / Concept project
Role
Visual Designer
Tools
Illustrator · InDesign
Concept & system
Ask Why? is a conceptual poster series that explores human habits through repetition and direct questioning. The project uses simple but uncomfortable prompts to bring attention to moments where routines can still be questioned, emphasizing awareness as the first step toward change. The visual system is built on a rigid, repeatable structure. Each poster follows the same layout and typographic rules, reducing hierarchy through lowercase text and subtle variations between bold and italic. A halftone block partially hides part of each question, requiring a second look and reflecting how habits are often visible yet overlooked. A controlled colour system ensures consistency across the series while directly addressing the viewer.
The custom typeface, Al Dente, takes inspiration from pasta shapes to create a bold and memorable look. For OTO Tokyo, the font is used sparingly across the logo, menu, signage, and packaging, letting the brand breathe while maintaining coherence. Minimal layouts, generous white space, and subtle textures highlight the typeface’s personality. The brand intentionally avoids stereotypical Italian cues. Instead, it celebrates pasta as precision, form, and craft, creating a space for those who recognize a system rather than needing it to shout “Italy.” Placing the restaurant in Tokyo reinforces this approach: bilingual text and quiet details communicate expertise, authenticity, and playful sophistication in a design conscious environment.