Yating Liu, a distinguished graphic designer with international acclaim, has been honored with the prestigious A’ Design Award in the Graphics and Visual Communication Design category for her groundbreaking project, Unicorn Rebrand. Created for a Mexican taco truck in New York, this experimental and innovative branding project exemplifies Liu’s remarkable ability to blend cultural storytelling with bold, modern aesthetics, setting a new standard in contemporary branding design.
The A’ Design Award, often hailed as the “Oscars of European Design,” is one of the most competitive and revered accolades in the design world. It celebrates outstanding creativity and innovation across diverse disciplines. Liu’s recognition underscores her exceptional talent in visual communication and her ability to craft designs that deeply resonate with their target audiences.
Unicorn Rebrand represents a masterful interplay of cultural references and contemporary design. The name “Unicorn” itself embodies multiple layers of meaning: “Uni” signifies university life, uniqueness, and unity, aligning with the brand’s mission to connect young people through food. Meanwhile, “Corn” anchors the design in its Mexican culinary heritage, as the taco’s essential ingredient. The logo’s semicircular shape cleverly mirrors a taco, creating immediate recognition of the product, while its vibrant color palette and badge-like motifs appeal to college students.
Adding a touch of cultural authenticity, the exclamation mark in the logo reflects Spanish punctuation conventions, infusing the brand with playful energy. Beyond the logo, Liu’s attention to detail extends to the overall brand system. The menu design incorporates academic themes, reinforcing the brand’s connection to university life and ensuring a cohesive visual identity. This comprehensive approach makes Unicorn Rebrand more than just a branding project—it becomes a cultural narrative that bridges divides and speaks directly to its audience.
Liu’s journey as a designer has been shaped by her impressive academic and professional background. After graduating in 2019 from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York in communication design, she began her career at renowned companies such as Viacom and Prophet, where she honed her expertise in branding and design strategy. Currently, Liu works as a brand designer at the renowned agency 2×4’s Beijing office, where she continues to produce innovative work for prominent clients, including ByteDance, CBRE, Fubon Art Museum and Aranya Culture, and etc.
This recognition by the A’ Design Award marks a significant milestone in Liu’s career, solidifying her position as a visionary designer whose work transcends cultural and geographic boundaries. Unicorn Rebrand not only celebrates its cultural roots but also demonstrates how thoughtful design can forge meaningful connections. As Liu continues to evolve her practice, her work remains a powerful testament to the transformative potential of design—where ideas become compelling visual stories that inspire and unite.
Unicorn Rebrand is one of many projects that have earned Liu international acclaim. Alongside the A’ Design Award, the project has been recognized by prestigious competitions such as the GDUSA American Graphic Design Awards, the Indigo Design Award (Gold), and the Hermes Creative Awards (Gold). These accolades affirm Liu’s ability to combine creative innovation with strategic precision, producing designs that are both visually stunning and conceptually profound.
On July 18, 2024, Yating Liu unveiled Unicorn Rebrand at the highly anticipated A’ Winner Designs 2023-2024 Exhibition, hosted by the Museum of Outstanding Design (MOOD). This international traveling design showcase debuted in Italy and will run until July 25 before continuing its global tour.
Liu’s participation in this exhibition represents another landmark in her design career. Her ability to seamlessly weave cultural elements into contemporary design ensures her place as one of China’s most innovative and forward-thinking graphic designers. Through Unicorn Rebrand and her broader portfolio, Liu demonstrates that design is not merely about visual appeal—it is about creating experiences that resonate, connect, and cohesiveness.
