What Omsom Can Teach Us about Branding

This is a new series I'm working on called "In the Hot Seat." In the series, I'll spotlight a product, business, or concept and share tangible branding lessons you can implement in your own business—no matter your size.

Listen, it's no secret I love to cook. There's something magical about ending my work day at the stove. Cooking forces me to slow down and focus on this one thing rather than multi-tasking like I do every other minute of the day.

And as glamorous as cooking is and as much as I love it, I sometimes want something easy and nostalgic...like a Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell. And while Taco Bell is less than a mile from my house (this was not something on my real estate wishlist but should have been), it's still too far for me to go when I just want to lay on my couch and watch TV.

Enter Omsom's Spicy Asian Crunch Wrap, which has become a staple in our house.

I've been a long-time admirer of Omsom and recently stocked up on their Bulgogi and Krapow sauces for easy (and delicious) meals during a busy season of life and work. After cooking at least ten crunch wraps in the past three weeks and a smattering of other delicious dishes (like Thai Spicy Fried Rice and Korean Spicy Tofu Bulgogi) I realized...I may be an Omsom super fan.

So today, I'm sharing the things I love about the brand and how you can incorporate those things into your own business.

Be Friendly

You know how at Olive Garden, you're family? Well, that type of familial love comes with conditions—you're only family when you're here, after all. I don't know if it's a compliment to say that Omsom has built something better than Olive Garden (they have), but for the sake of metaphor, we're rolling with it. If Olive Garden is your family, Omsom is your best friend. They make you feel appreciated, welcomed, and seen.

Take their website, for example. When you land on the home page, you're immediately welcomed by co-founder Kim Pham who, (through a video platform called Tolstoy) gives you a personal tour of the website and guides you through the various Omsom products.

And just like a best friend would, Omsom happily shares their favorite recipes with anyone interested in their brand, no purchase or email necessary. Now that's unconditional love. I don’t see Olive Garden offering me their breadstick recipe.

Omsom's friendliness doesn't just extend to their customers. They're friendly with like-minded brands and have crafted intentional partnerships to create some really cool extras like this Apron Top, a Puzzle, and The Tofu Sisig Bowl.

Whether you choose to be familial like Olive Garden or friendly like Omsom, the key to this approach is personality. Building a personable brand lies in crafting a genuine connection with those who resonate with your mission and values. Your brand should go beyond transactional relationships and instead foster a sense of belonging. Because in the end, it's not about what you sell, it's the emotional connection you make with those who welcome your brand into the complex folds of their life.

Don't Discount Design

Of course, everyone wants their products and packaging to look good.

But when it comes to paying for professional design, few folks want to do it. They think they can do it themselves (and maybe some of you can! Don't come for me!). But there's something to partnering with a professional designer who can take an unbiased approach to developing your visual identity.

As Outline, the incredibly talented and strategic minds behind the Omsom brand, share, working with professionals “leaves open the possibility of creating something you can't quite envision yet."

I'll be real though—there isn't a lot of transparency around how much brand design services cost. So let me clear the air.

Great design isn't cheap.

Great design isn't fast.

What do you think brand identity design costs? No, I'm serious—what do you think? 

Okay, now whatever number is in your head, add at least one zero to it.

That's not a foolproof pricing methodology, obviously, but you get the point. Great design is a big investment because it takes lots of time, deep thought, and meticulous attention to detail.

But the value of great design is tremendous.

Design is more than just a pretty picture. It's an influential component of your product that can truly set your brand apart.

While you may not admit it, great design can be the lipstick on your pig of a product. And sloppy, unintentional design can have the same effect, but in reverse. It can position your gem of a product as a rough, invaluable rock.

I say all of this to say, Omsom falls into neither of these categories—they're impeccable inside and out. Bold, proudly Asian flavors that transform weekday meals into brag-worthy dishes are wrapped in meticulously designed and intentionally crafted packages. Props to Outline who knocked this brand out of the park. They created something memorable and functional that perfectly captures the brand's unique point of view.

As Dieline shares:

There's no denying that the entire Omsom is incredibly memorable. And while I admire so many facets of the brand, the visual identity is burned into my brain and it's something I'll always recognize and never forget.

Be yourself, unapologetically.

According to their website, Omsom is a Vietnamese phrase meaning noisy, rambunctious, and riotous. Every piece of the Omsom brand exudes these traits. In short, Omsom the brand isn't afraid to be itself. And neither are co-founders, Vanessa and Kim Pham. Both share their experiences and insights and bring a refreshing sense of transparency to building a business.

In March 2023, Vanessa shared on her Instagram about all the things that did and didn't go her way—from moving apartments to navigating a bank collapse. And, did I mention I found out about Omsom via Kim's Instagram? At the height of the pandemic, I spent a lot of time (doom-scrolling) on Instagram. One way or another, I came across a video from Kim sharing how to explore kink in a relationship. I started following her and didn't even realize she was a founder.

And, guess what? When she posted about Omsom, my reaction was: Add to cart.

Kim and Vanessa aren't just founders, they're human beings living actual lives. And my guess is, unless you’re a chatbot scanning this article, you probably have a life, too. You shouldn't have to button it up behind a suit and tie just to be seen as "professional." 

Want to learn more about being yourself in your business?

There’s a Scope Creep Episode for that!

On your brand-building journey, take a page—or two or three— from Omsom's book. Build a brand with personality, spend time, effort, and resourves in brand design, and above all else, but yourself. After all, the best brand resonance comes from those share their unique points of view.