• JIN JIN is a concentrated enzymatic cordial with branding from Roleplay to break free from wellness industry sterility
• Roleplay needed to create a look for JIN JIN that gave the wisdom of its ancient Japanese recipe a modern stage

These days, it’s all about gut health. And JIN JIN is here to help bring the tradition of ancient tummy-friendly enhancing recipes into the modern era, and make it enticing to a contemporary audience.

JIN JIN is a concentrated enzymatic cordial—try saying that five times fast—which is great for your gut health but not great for snappy branding purposes. So JIN JIN worked with Roleplay on the tricky task of communicating the drink’s function in a way that resonated with a mainstream, western consumer base.

Giving ancient wisdom a modern stage was the central need, and Roleplay did so with typography that feels both old and new, and a visual language that’s inspired by the flora involved in the fermentation. JIN JIN purposefully steers away from the visual conventions of the juice or kombucha categories, and instead leans into the look and feel of premium spirits and high-end aperitivos. As such, JIN JIN feels elevated yet accessible, special yet a beverage to incorporate into your daily health routine.

At the heart of JIN JIN lies the harmonious blur between function and indulgence. While the wellness industry often leans into clinical sterility, and the spirits industry into heavy tradition, JIN JIN lives in the vibrant space between the two. 

The design idea was ‘Follow nature’s wisdom’ – a visual bridge that transports the consumer from the hustle of city life to the quiet, ancient gardens of East Asian fermentation. 

JIN JIN is a concentrated enzymatic cordial traditionally fermented from over 30 plants, based on an ancient Japanese recipe called Koso. Used for millennia to promote gut health, the challenge was to introduce this complex, functional product to a contemporary Western audience.

Our agency, Roleplay, was tasked with creating a brand world that felt as healthy as it did delicious. We needed to elevate JIN JIN from a ‘health tonic’ to a sophisticated ‘daily ritual’. The strategy focused on ‘Borrowing’ and ‘Provoking’: borrowing the sophisticated codes of the non-alcoholic spirits category and provoking the gut-health market to embrace beauty, symbolism, and ritual.

The packaging solution is embroiled with layers of meaning, designed to feel like a rediscovered artifact of modern wellness. The typography for JIN JIN is balanced and rhythmic, echoing the patience required in the fermentation process. It feels both ancient and contemporary – a nod to the brand’s dual roots in East Asian heritage and Western lifestyle.

We utilised a sophisticated labeling system that avoids the ‘loud’ claims of traditional supplements. Instead, we used a palette and layout that suggests an artisanal cordial. The visual language is inspired by the flora involved in the fermentation, using organic shapes and a refined colour story that feels ‘alive’ with enzymes.

The bottle is designed to sit alongside premium spirits on a bar cart. By choosing a silhouette that feels like a high-end elixir, we validate the ‘ritual’ of the pour. It encourages the consumer to slow down, mix, and savour the drink as they would a traditional aperitivo.

The design successfully blurs the lines of ‘Functional’ and ‘Flavourful’. We intentionally moved away from the ‘kombucha’ or ‘juice’ aesthetic, positioning JIN JIN as a pioneer in the burgeoning enzyme category. The packaging communicates that this is a product of high-craft, designed for the discerning individual who values both their well-being and their aesthetic environment.

JIN JIN is more than a drink; it is a transition. Through a design that honours the complexity of its 30+ plant ingredients while maintaining a minimalist, premium edge, we have created a brand that defines the future of gut-health: a culture where ancient wisdom is finally given a modern stage.