UTAR interns bring smiles to life through packaging design for rural entrepreneur

In a meaningful display of talent and community engagement, two Digital Animation undergraduates from UTAR were recently honoured for their exceptional contribution to a branding project that brought local heritage to life through design. Chow Yung Xuen and Lim Luo Xian @ Roxanne Lim, both from the Faculty of Creative Industries, completed their two-month internship with UTAR’s Department of Soft Skills Competency (DSSC), where they were given the opportunity to work with a real-world client on a packaging and logo design initiative.

This special collaboration emerged when a representative of a small rural enterprise approached DSSC with the hope of providing student designers with a platform to showcase their creative skills while supporting the promotional needs of her growing business. The project culminated in a presentation ceremony on 7 November 2025 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus, where the client expressed her appreciation by awarding the students with a RM500 cash token each in recognition of their dedication and creative output.

Throughout the process, the students engaged closely with the client, gaining insights into her business and personal vision. Central to the design brief was the request to incorporate her late father’s signature smile—an iconic and sentimental symbol of the brand—onto the product’s packaging. The client’s aspiration was to reflect not only the quality of her bird’s nest product, but also the heartfelt story behind it and its ties to the small town of Triang, Pahang, where her family’s swiftlet farm is located.

The students responded with a design that skilfully blended cultural identity, emotional storytelling and visual clarity. Supported by feedback from DSSC supervisors, they translated the client’s narrative into a refined brand image that communicated warmth, authenticity and local pride. Their design was ultimately featured in the company’s product showcase and received strongly positive feedback.

The business, known commercially as “爱笑燕窝”, operates under Happy Captain Enterprise, a family-founded company that evolved from a traditional bird’s nest producer into a modern, digitally active brand. With operations rooted in sustainable harvesting and clean, additive-free production, the company has expanded from local sales to online platforms including Shopee, Facebook and Instagram. Its branding, centred on joy, sincerity and well-being, aims to preserve local heritage while reaching a broader consumer base.

For the students, this internship offered more than practical experience; it became a formative exercise in cultural empathy, design thinking and professional communication. The project not only demonstrated the power of design to articulate identity, but also affirmed the role of creative students in uplifting local businesses through authentic storytelling.

The collaboration underscores UTAR’s commitment to holistic education and experiential learning. By aligning academic programmes with industry engagement, particularly through departments such as DSSC, the University continues to foster student development in ways that contribute meaningfully to society.