At Aki, one of the things I focused heavily on was brand storytelling, making sure the messaging wasn’t just trendy or surface-level, but that it genuinely reflected the heart of the business. The owners immigrated to the U.S. and poured so much of their journey into building the restaurant, and I wanted that to come through. Around Lunar New Year, instead of just posting for engagement, we leaned into that emotional connection and spotlighted what the holiday meant to the family. I shared behind-the-scenes moments, meaningful traditions, and personal stories.

Although my main role at Aki focused on brand development, I noticed that after the initial hype following the grand opening, things were slowing down, especially at the boba bar. Regulars were getting bored with the same menu, and we needed something fresh to keep the momentum going. That’s when I took the initiative to create limited-time boba drinks of the month, themed around seasons or holidays. It wasn’t part of my original responsibilities, but I saw an opportunity to spark curiosity and bring in both new and returning customers. The results were great, people started coming in, showing our Instagram posts to baristas, saying, “I want this drink!” It helped us build buzz again, grow our online engagement, and create something fun that people actually looked forward to.

I would first define an audience persona based on the product attributes, researching who would resonate most with the product, and finding a way to tailor the message to target that demographic. I would also conduct competitor analysis and research what they are doing well, and how we could leverage and better adapt those habits uniquely and freshly, so that they will stick with our audience.