For YATAI 2023, Baillat Studio brings bunnies and blue skies to the festival of Japanese culture

Baillat Studio, a Montreal-based multi-platform design studio, once again took on the task of developing the identity for YATAI, an event in Montreal that celebrates Japanese culture and street food. For the festival's sixth year, the studio created a festive campaign centred around the squares of a calendar, alluding to the fact that the 2023 iteration of the festival is divided into two parts: Japan Week and Yataï. The main focus of the identity is a lively rabbit that energetically hops between the squares of a calendar, representing the dynamic movement of event attendees as they transition from one activity to another. This choice also draws attention to the significance of 2023 as the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac. The sweet and simple mascot was developed in-house following the client’s request for something adorable, with the studio therefore opting for a geometric approach, using a series of circles to create the bouncing bunny. “YATAI 2021 also had sakura that were made with circles,” the studio explains, “so we wanted to make a connection to that year, and develop an aesthetic that’s a bit more recognizable for them. The roundness has a very cute aspect to it, especially when the curves are emphasised through light coloured shading.”