MSG is one of the most effective flavor enhancers in the world, yet many home cooks avoid it. Decades of misinformation have shaped its reputation more than science. The barrier wasn’t taste. It was belief.
Deliverables:
Integrated Campaign
Integrated Campaign
Client:
Ajinomoto
Ajinomoto
Year:
2025
2025
Core Concept
At-home cooks don’t want to be chefs, they want to feel like chefs. They crave the moment where someone says, “Wait… YOU made this?”
We positioned MSG as a flavor amplifier, giving home chefs control over the full flavor spectrum — salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and most importantly, umami. By reframing MSG as a modern kitchen essential rather than a mysterious additive, we turned it into a badge of cooking mastery.
Core Concept
At-home cooks don’t want to be chefs, they want to feel like chefs. They crave the moment where someone says, “Wait… YOU made this?”
We positioned MSG as a flavor amplifier, giving home chefs control over the full flavor spectrum — salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and most importantly, umami. By reframing MSG as a modern kitchen essential rather than a mysterious additive, we turned it into a badge of cooking mastery.
From additive to artifact.
Each flavor ; Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Umami was personified through manga-inspired visuals, reframing MSG as a collectible symbol of flavor mastery.
From additive to artifact.
Each flavor ; Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Umami was personified through manga-inspired visuals, reframing MSG as a collectible symbol of flavor mastery.
From additive to artifact.
Each flavor ; Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Umami was personified through manga-inspired visuals, reframing MSG as a collectible symbol of flavor mastery.
Retail became the training ground.
A dojo-inspired display positioned each jar like a tool of mastery, with collectible flavor posters extending the mythology beyond the shelf.
Retail became the training ground.
A dojo-inspired display positioned each jar like a tool of mastery, with collectible flavor posters extending the mythology beyond the shelf.
We didn’t package flavor. We gave it lore.
Bold, illustrated flavor “masters” gave each taste a personality, turning pantry science into visual mythology.
We didn’t package flavor. We gave it lore.
Bold, illustrated flavor “masters” gave each taste a personality, turning pantry science into visual mythology.
Home cooks became the heroes.
People shared bold, expressive cooking moments set to dramatic samurai-style soundtracks. The best entries were transformed into custom manga portraits — turning everyday cooks into “Flavor Benders.”
Home cooks became the heroes.
People shared bold, expressive cooking moments set to dramatic samurai-style soundtracks. The best entries were transformed into custom manga portraits — turning everyday cooks into “Flavor Benders.”
