OUGD602 - DBA Nootropics - Logo Development

To kick start our design process we decided to design the logo together as a group. With the name wanting to be continued into more, e.g. you plus motivation, we wanted to keep the logo really minimal to fit into a sentence. We decided from this that a logotype would be the best course of action.

So because we chose to go down the logotype route, the typeface/font choice becomes very important to portray the tone of voice that we want. Though we want to be trustworthy and professional we also want to portray friendliness and approachability. It was clear from the start that we should use a sans serif to appeal to our young professional target audience as well as to show professionalism. But from our initial developments the typefaces found were either too fun or too corporate, there was no in between. So we decided to search for a typeface specifically for the logotype. From the initial developments my favourite was the more rounded logo (labelled figure 1). I liked how it all flowed together with the plus connecting to the u. However, though the typeface represented the friendliness that we wanted to portray, it didn’t feel professional or stable enough.

As a group we chose to use Optien. The sans-serif font is bold and structured, proving reassuring with squared ends that are professional and strong. In addition to this, the curved style of the Y tail and the U presents the more casual, fun and approach of the brand. From there we just played around with the positioning of the plus.

OUGD602 - DBA Nootropics - Pattern Development

After looking at the chemical formula for L-Theanine, the drug that I researched for motivation, I thought that it had some really interesting shapes in it. I thought that for the packaging we could create patterns to represent each of the compounds using the shapes of the chemical formulas. 

After looking at some packaging inspiration I really liked the use of full bleed patterns with the labels over the top. Although I wasn't sure about the colour scheme so I took some inspiration from other patterns. The one above is almost like a surreal landscape, with the zigzagged shapes like mountains. But I really liked the random placement in this pattern which made it feel very organic. Also, the colour scheme of warm and cold tones combined really well together. 

So I started by creating a pattern for L-theanine, the compound I had been researching for motivation. Using the zig-zag line from the chemical compound as well as incorporating the way how the chemicals work with synapses and neurotransmitters. I tried to use the colours as an interpretation of the feeling of motivation also. I really like the result of this combination of the compounds and shapes so I will create a pattern for each of the compounds we have chosen. 

So next I found the compound for Rosea Rhodiola, the one we have chosen for increased energy or anti-fatigue. This compound has a lot of different elements in it in comparison to the L-theanine, so I had to remove the zig-zags use the covalent bonds instead as well as the hexagons. I did reuse the use of the neurotransmitters in the design as they are the key thing with all nootropics to how they work in the brain. I added the 'explosion' like shapes into the background to represent the burst of energy that you would get from the tablets. Also, I used the same colour scheme but switched around the dominant colours so that the most vibrant colour, the orange was most prominent again trying to make the pattern as energetic as possible. 

Next, I worked on the calming Ashwagandha again looking at the chemical formula it is different once more. So for this pattern, I added the covalent bonds as well as the 'flowers' made from the triangles in the chemical structure and the hexagons again. For the background, I added waves to simulate the feeling of calm. For the colours I used the lighter blues as the dominant colours again to show the feeling of de-stressing. 

Having taken these designs to my peers they really liked them and said that we should use them in our packaging designs. However, they did say they needed some tweaking like for example, the calm pattern seems a bit too busy so it doesn't necessarily feel calm. 

OUGD602 - DBA Nootropics - Concept and Campaigns Research

Today we did a lot of research and thought into what our concept should be for our brand you+. We wanted the brand to be focused around you, the consumer. We wanted to portray a kind of network of support for our target audience young professionals, because at the end of the day taking a pill won't solve everything.

The whole idea behind our brand was to help people better themselves in order to succeed at whatever they want to do. It's you plus whatever you need to achieve your goals. So we created a mind map of words we want associated with our brand and then a post it note map on what we want the brand to be.

We wanted to create an honest campaign alongside the brand to instil trust into the consumers about the brand. Our tone of voice was decided to be like talking to a friend, so very informal and casual.

OUGD602 - DBA Nootropics - Research

After deciding on our name and target audience we went away and research packaging designs on our own to get a feel for the market. I looked at current nootropics on the market to get a feel of the general design elements that are used. For the compound that I have been looking into, L-theanine, the packaging is very simple and clinical.

Take this tub as an example. The colours used are not eyecatching, they almost feel dirty. There is hardly any imagery, just type explaining the product and the important information. This package doesn't feel friendly to me, though they have all the correct information on there, there is nothing to make me want to buy the product. 

Another example, with more colour and an illustration. Once again it's not a very inspiring design. Though it catches the eye with the use of orange there is no main focal point. There are almost too many different design elements. You don't know where to look first. Also it doesn't inspire trust with the brand because it feels so clinical. 

So I started doing some research into packaging that is bright and eye catching. I thought that if our packaging was colourful it would stand out from all of the other more minimal medicine packaging designs on a shelf. 

The first packaging I found that I really liked was this Hanami cosmetics packaging by Eve Warren. I love the use of the patterns and shapes to cover the box. This is exactly the direction that I was thinking of going down for our packaging designs but instead of having a seemingly random pattern I wanted to add elements from the chemical formulas of each of the drugs we choose. 

The use of similar tonal colours within this packaging really adds depth. Using mostly warm colours with a pop of cold from the purples attracts the eye. Also the halftone-esque patterns used in the background add more depth making it seem three dimensional. The actual packaging itself a part from the pattern is very minimal, with a sans serif being used for legibility. I also believe that a simple sans serif such as this provides a friendliness to the packaging down to the open apertures and rounded edges. It makes the brand more approachable. 

I also found this lovely business card set. I really liked the use of the cut-out elements adding a real tactile element, urging the consumer to pick up the product and feel it. I also really liked the use of the simple statements in black on the coloured stock. It provides a really intriguing design. Though these aren't necessarily packaging I feel like we could use elements like the lower case sans serif type to make the brand seem more friendly and trustworthy. 

What I particularly liked about these cosmetic tubs and tube designs was the colour palette that has been used. Though quite muted it combines warm and cold colours to create depth like with Eve Warren's pattern. I also feel this colour palette is more relevant to our chosen target of young professionals, specifically male young professionals. Once again a rounded, geometric sans serif has been used to show that approachable element to the brand. And again we can see a minimal use of text on the front of the pack. This shows that the front of the packaging should only show minimal information and the rest should be written on the back. 

From this research I want to try and create patterns out of the chemical formulas of the drugs that we have chosen like I mentioned before. I think I will create a colour palette to use within all of the designs to make all of the range cohesive and noticeable as a set. 

OUGD602 - PPP - Hallmark Placement Report

I created a short report on the work that I completed while on my placement. If you cannot see it below please follow this link.

Please be advised these images are under copyright to Hallmark. Under no circumstances can they be reused or reproduced elsewhere.

OUGD603 - YCN GUCC - Research

For my research I started by trying to look at companies who already customised things for their customers such as Funky Pigeon, Moonpig and boomf. I learned a lot about how the process works - they often have pre-designed templates that customers can simply place images and text into. This doesn’t offer much freedom but it means that even the least creative people can create a nice looking card or gift for someone. Boomf was probably the most relevant company I looked at in regards to their products. They started by offering a service of printing photos onto marshmallows to send as gifts. I found that they now have expanded this into chocolates, pop out cards and much more. It was really helpful looking at their process for customisation with the chocolate as it has given me a good idea of the steps to include for the customisation of the bars.

Next I moved onto looking at chocolate packaging. I came across Sandeman’s chocolate box sets (figure 1). I really liked the use of the repeat pattern of the flavours, to give a hint to what’s inside. Also the text used is simple and to the point - it tells you what it is without much more information. The use of the white background creates a really nice crisp contrast against the imagery to make for quite a striking design without the use of too many colours. Perhaps in our designs we should think of letting the colours of the product shine through like used here.

This shows a lovely example of how illustrations and hand rendered type can be used to create a friendly approachable design. The use of characters makes the design feel more personal furthered by the use of hand rendered type. Because Polly has some good hand rendered type skills I think that the use of handwriting will really benefit the design in making each design feel individual and unique to the customer.

Another good use of hand rendered typography is in this Marchoc hot chocolate packaging (figure 3). The use of different type weights emphasises the dominant flavours. The type itself is very friendly and approachable, making you want to pick the packaging up from the shelf. Contrast this with figure 1 and you can tell that it feels warmer and more friendly because of the use of illustrations and organic elements rather than imagery. The only thing I’m not sure about in this design is the colour - I really like the orange contrasted against the beige but I feel that the blue is out of place and clashes to much with the other elements of the design.

OUGD602 - PPP - Footprint talk

Today Footprint came in to talk to us about their risograph printing and co-ops. I found this really interesting because I have never really known what a co-operative company is and how it works so I learned something today! A cooperative means that the business is owned by the people who work there. They said because of the lack of management as it were it gives them more freedom to do what they want.

Their main clients are people who make zines because the nature of risograph is that it can produce lots of single colour pages really quickly. Although they said they only like to produce interesting work for nice people.

I also really love risograph printing because of the textures that it creates as well as the fact that it is environmentally friendly due to its soy-based inks. They also mentioned that they use all recyclable stock (unless you bring in your own) which means that they are really environmentally friendly for printing. They are driven by having a sustainable working environment rather than working cheaper for profits. One thing that they said which really resonated with me was that they are 'based on love, not money' which is what I like to think of myself in my practice.

If I am to create another publication I definitely will have a look at using these guys for printing.