Time Management: Where I am

I've decided to enter a YCN brief. There is one for Feel Good drinks which sounds really interesting. I am aware that I have less than a month until the deadline and with hindsight I would have started this a lot earlier but hey ho here I am. The brief has been intentionally has left quite open so that a range of responses can be submitted. This means that I can re-design the packaging but also come up with a concept to run a campaign alongside it. 

It also ticks other boxes because one of the things I decided I really wanted to do this year was beverage packaging. I did J2O last year which was good and really sparked my interest, however I didn't have any theoretical knowledge to support or influence my designs. It will be interesting to see if their is an obvious improvement between J2O and Feel Good Drinks after more experience and mainly, after CoP and everything I have learnt. 

Now that hyperloop is finished I can really put all my energy and concentration into the extended practice briefs. Today I have registered with Starpack and paid the submission fee so that I can enter Impactful Packaging, I have also emailed someone about getting some carton board samples. I am currently working on a redesign for Nestlé's Walnut Whips, I know that I cannot afford to spend a large amount of time on this project (as the deadline is the 14th of March) so instead of exploring a few possibilities I will continue working on my chosen idea. I have 2 weeks until the week of the deadline so I want to use the next half of the week to keep working on the design and create mock ups. Then I will use the following week to print everything and photograph it, as well as making design boards in support of the package. I want to get it finished pretty soon so that I can potentially carry out my own market research and find out if people would be more likely to buy it with the new packaging. Also I would love to be able to snap a few pictures of the mock up in a real retail environment like Sainsbury's or Morrisons.

Nestlé: Packaging Mock Up

I decided to mock up the design I had so far onto the packaging before doing a test print on Thursday. I copied the packaging template from a book however the imagery wasn't overly clear to how the final package would look.

 

I didn't realise that the packaging would have a flat bag, whilst I actually prefer this it doesn't fit the shape of the chocolate.  

 

As you can see the chocolate comes out through the whole. To keep this style of packaging and make it so that the chocolate fits would mean substantially increasing the height of the back wall. This isn't something I want to do as it will take up more shelf space and more room transporting. One of the main things I wanted to do with this brief was create a package that didn't use excess material or be bigger than it has to be (like the current packaging).

 

The image above gives you an idea of what aesthetic I was going for, however now that it is printed it isn't as strong visually. The type could be a lot bigger! seeing as this brief is about shelf impact I want it to be a lot clearer. When I was designing I could clearly see it because I was so close, however since making the package and viewing from a distance all the information needs to be clearer, bigger, and bolder. I really like the colours used, the blues create a strong impact whilst also keeping assosiations with the traditional design. However I am going to experiment with adding in small amounts of red to contrast the blue. The window cut outs are too big, they take up too much space leaving little room for the rest of the design. I would like to keep some aspect of see through as it will tempt people into buying the product, however I will rethink what shape it should be to maximise space.

  

This is the back of the packaging, I quite like where the design is going but will continue to work on it as its not there yet. I wanted the back to be a break down of the Walnut Whip, describing each aspect of the chocolate and tempting people into trying them.

 

The packaging template I used didn't really work either. For some reason I ended up with this gap at the bottom. From here I will work on designing my own package structure so that it will 1. be completed and 2. not have a straight back. 

Feel Good Drinks: Research

I wanted to begin by researching what desgins are already out there for Feel good as this will give me an idea of their style.

 

This is a simple design which takes the circular shape of the fruit and makes it a background for the type. This adds in colour as well as visually showing the user what fruit is in the drink. I like that the colour of the juice shows through the bottle as this could provide a background colour to the packaging/label design.

 

Whilst I liked the colour of the juice showing through, I also quite like this wrapped version with a white background as this provides a stronger contrast making the colours of the fruit and the design that bit more vibrant and exciting. I also like the layout of the visual, the background remains plain to let the designs speak for themselves. Having the logo next to it really compliments the bottles, it gives more context and adds in bubbly colour.

This was a poster range created to advertise the drink. I really like the style and use of type, it is eye catching but also fun and friendly. Its upbeat style fits in with exactly what the brief asks for and the design works perfectly to attract its target market. The poster expresses its personality through the combination of fonts. Perhaps making something by hand or screenprinting the posters would be a something to look into.

 

This was another poster range I found showing a stick man sat ontop the type juggling the bottles of drink. I decided write about this mainly because I don't like it. I don't really think it does a lot to catch your eye or hold your attention. It has made me realise that the design needs to have energy and movement in it to attract and engage with the younger audience.

 

I really like this advertising poster, it really clearly shows why Feel good drinks are better for you - the excessive amount of sugar in other drinks. "Dump the Lumps!" is a a great caption to support the message of the poster.

 

Here is a range of all the products. I thought this would be useful to refer back to throughout the process. 

Feel Good Drinks: Brief (YCN)

Feel Good Drinks
Spread positivity, and put Feel Good onto the radar of young women.

Background
Nichols plc has recently purchased the Feel Good brand.
Launched in 2001, Feel Good Drinks is a premium range of 100% natural still and sparkling drinks for adults sold in over 20,000 outlets across 15 different countries.
The brand ethos is all about Feeling Good — 100% Natural ingredients with no added nasties, giving 1 of your 5 a day with no added sugar. No added anything!
Feel Good has been marketed in the past but only had Facebook activity since summer 2014.

We want you to show us how we can spread the word about Feel Good and get more people feeling good.

The Challenge
We want you to re-engage 18-35 year old females with the Feel Good brand, and are very open minded as to how you go about doing it.­

We want you to spread Feel Goodness, driving awareness and inspiring people to engage with the brand and buy the product.

We want to remind and reassure the target audience that Feel Good is relevant for them, that it’s simple and honest and that it delivers against their needs of wanting healthier cleaner drinks.

This is a deliberately very open brief, and you are free to demonstrate your creative thinking in any medium or combination of media you see fit.

We are open to ideas for new campaigns such as press adds, PR, Packaging, social media, sampling, on-pack promotions, in-store engagement; concepts for grabbing people on the streets or fresh thoughts for how our bottles and packs look.

We want you to think about the moments, formats and contexts in which we can most successfully engage with our target audience.

How can we spread positivity and connect with this audience in fresh and memorable ways?

Range of refreshing good, honest, great tasting drinks:

• 750ml Sparkling fruit juice
• 275ml Still & Sparkling Fruit Juice
• 400ml Still Fruit Juice Drink

Available in Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, Spar and cafes, parks, deli’s and restaurants across the country.

Target Audience
18-35 yr old millennials.

• United by attitude rather than age, sex, money or geography
• Healthy but not obsessive eg. they go to the gym but they will enjoy that slice of cake
• Want quality at a fair price
• Lead busy lives and use technology to save time and communicate
• Sociable, Ambitious, Adventurous
• Must talk regularly to them, they care and can help
• Marketing savvy..... keep it real!
• They are socially conscious
• Work hard – play hard ethos
• When would they drink FG? At lunch in 275ml or 400ml format and then in the evening with their meal instead of alcohol (750ml larger bottle poured into glass)

What does our consumer think?
I do not want to compromise. I want tasty healthy, natural drinks that have no added sugar that make me feel good.

I’m making a positive choice without compromise.

What do they Think/Feel/Do now?
They may have some recognition of the FG brand but no top of mind awareness and they are not aware of the brands relevance for them.

They are cynical about what is in drinks. Unsure about what has extra sugars in following sensational journalism on proposed healthy options having addition sugar added.

They balance between calorie intake (diet cokes fanatics) and looking for clean labels and healthier products.

Core Communication
100% Natural

FG doesn’t compromise. Never any added sugar, (1 of your 5 a Day), 100% Natural Ingredients. No artificial colours, flavours, preservatives – so you can feel good every day.

Brand Positioning and Tone of Voice

Honest. Big Fruit. Fun Fruity. Upbeat. Modern. Not worthy. Not Preachy. Good Honest Fun.

Market Context
The soft drinks category is highly competitive and heavily promoted. The areas in growth are healthier ones such as water and flavored water.

There’s currently a backlash on sugar in the category and products that claim to be healthy but really have additional sugars added in. Feel Good has no sugar added except the naturally occurring sugar in the fruit.

Tesco have recently removed high sugar drinks from kids category.

Deliverables & Additional Information

www.feelgooddrinks.co.uk

Facebook: Feel Good Drinks

For guidance on how to submit your work, please adhere to the main Deliverables information which can be found at the YCN website.

Any additional information referenced in the brief can be found in the supporting Project Pack at the YCN website.


PROJECT PACK
An accompanying Project Pack includes all relevant logos, artwork, a PDF version of the brief and any other elements referenced.Get the Project Pack

HOW TO SUBMIT
Full details on eligibility, how and where to submit work can be found here. A must read for anyone wishing to take part!Read full Submission Details

Nestlé: Experimenting with Idea 1

Structure

One thing I am adamant to change is the packaging structure. Currently I think there is an excess of packaging being used to protect the chocolates, this not only means more rubbish to through away but also that it takes up more space on the shelf, and more space in transportation. One idea I have had is to make the box triangular, this would fit to the shape of the chocolate whips which are almost like cones, decreasing in width as they grow in height. A triangular box would be easy to transport and could be stacked in a shelf space to create a pattern.

Design

After reading a few of forums about Walnut Whips, people seemed to have really fond memories of how they were. I decided to use the original packaging as a starting point, with the thought that if I can incorporate some of the recognisable elements back into the design it would bring back a feeling of nostalgia. 

I have chosen three tones of blue from the original wrapper to incorporate into the new packaging design as well as the yellow text. The yellow works better against the blue in comparison to the new creamer colour type on the latest packaging.

I have found a packaging template which is originally designed to hold a wrap sandwich but in fact would work well for the walnut whips. Either side their is a cut through into the product, which will help by showing the product off and tempting the shopper. It will also help to differentiate the product from a Toblerone where the packaging is similar.

I decided to use two different fonts for the product name. The first font is called Sigmar One and it has been used for 'Walnut', the font is hard and strong resembling the characteristics of a shelled walnut. Whilst the second font called MovusBrushPen, is a lot lighter and looks hand rendered, this is to imply a softer middle to the chocolate. The two fonts compliment each other and visually represent the hard and the soft of the chocolate.

The blue background keeps the traditional packaging elements - making the packaging recognisable however the gentle swooshes have been replaced with solid lines of overlapping blues. This has made the effect a lot stronger visually as it has created a stronger contrast. Thus would stand out on the shelf next to other competitors. 

I will keep working with this idea and mock it up to see how it looks in real life, as well as trying different packaging ideas.

Nestlé: Walnut Whip

I have decided to redesign the packaging for Walnut whips because they are one of the oldest Nestlé product and possibly have the worst packaging design out of the Nestlé confectionary range. After doing some online research into people's opinions of Walnut Whips it doesn't look good. Everyone has rated the product badly and the main reason seems to be the change in the recipe. Perhaps replacing a marshmellowy centre with a vanilla fondant was a bad idea.

I couldn't find Walnut Whips in any supermarkets with the other Nestlé products which didn't surprise me because I had never heard of them before (or at least the packaging has never shouted out to me). I managed to buy a box from Poundland, I guess this fits in with the reviews I have read about it being one of the least popular Nestlé products. 

I think the packaging is really boring, The swirly blue background I suppose is to represent the whipped chocolate. The packaging definitely doesn't stand out on a shelf. Once the box is opened there are 3 smaller packages inside which each contain a whip. I feel that this is an excessive amount of packaging and there must be an easier way to store the product which also looks a lot nicer. The whip itself looks fancy and delicate but the packaging doesn't do anything to present them nicely. 

Nestlé: Possible Product

I am hesitant to pick a famous or well known Nestlé product like Malteasers, simply because I will not be able to match their existing marketing. The packages are well known and more importantly, are successful! People are well aware of what products they are and a radical new packaging would remove the elements that make the brand successful/recognisable. 

Instead I am thinking of taking an older product such as the Walnut Whip, which used to be very popular but has died down. This way I can make the brief not only about shelf impact, but use my new packaging design to test whether more people would stop look at it and buy it. 

The packaging isn't overly great, it doesn't stand out at all to me. This would give me a lot to work with because I can reconsider what type, colours, and shape would help to present a stronger visual image. 

The product itself looks delicious and needs packaging which makes people want to try it. 

The next steps is to find it in the supermarket and

• look at who its competitors are

• what category is it positioned in

• shelf height etc....

• and most importantly a taste test

Time Management: Diary & Wall Calendar

So far I have stuck to my 3 week plan but I have also been writing weekly break downs in my diary so that I know what I am doing each day. I have also started a "by the end of the week list" where I write down what I want to have accomplished by the end of the week. I think this will really help as it gives me something to work towards, almost like mini deadlines.

I have also bought an A1 wall calendar where I can see a bigger overview of my time table. I think I was struggling a bit before because I couldn't have a general overview, however now I can figure out what briefs are due when. It helps me see how much time I have left and whilst this is a bit of a shock, it will motivate me to work hard.

Nestlé: Research

Carton Board
I want to research into other designs with carton board so that I get an idea of the sort of stuff I can produce. I always find it useful seeing what other work has been produced because it tends to spark ideas off.

I love that this chocolate box looks traditional, until it is opened. The sides coming out creates a box for sharing chocolates whilst still being easy to reassemble.

Again, I like the idea that it is popping open ready to be passed around. This design is interesting as they have used the folds in the carton board to provide extra strength and protection to the packaging.

I quite like this style, having a box which opens out into two halves. The design is compact and unique which makes it memorable. However the real wow factor is the inside of the packaging - something which would not be seen on the shelf.

The box pops open which fits in with the design style, the bright colours inside the lid are a nice touch as they correspond with the main design and inject colour and life into the product.

Almost like a pillow box but on each side. This isn't something I have really seen before although it seems quite easy. I really like this design, its unique packaging makes it grab your attention - you want to pick it up just to see the packaging.

I liked this packaging because it could all be assembled without glue just through tucks and folds. 

Nestle: Brief

http://www.iom3.org/sites/default/files/brief_d_impactful_packaging.pdf

DS Smith is a major supplier of corrugated packaging and works closely with Nestlé to develop innovative shelf-ready and other packaging

The Brief 
The confectionery aisle is one of the most overcrowded in the supermarket. Your challenge is to disrupt the category and create stand-out on shelf for any Nestlé confectionery brand. Use either corrugated or cartonboard as your main material, but other materials may be introduced to bring your design to life. 

Standard criteria for success 
• Answers the brief
 • The concept 
• Model: One good quality mock up to withstand transport and handling
• Development boards: 3 x A3 boards showing concise and clear presentation of ideas from your initial ideas through to the final concept 

The following will also be taken into account if relevant to the brief 
• Innovation – Recognition of good ideas. Creative use of material 
• Consumer market – relevance to target audience and predicted uses 
• Display – shelf impact, shape, format and graphics to give good shelf presence In addition the sponsor wishes you to consider the following points 
• Look at creative ways to fold and crease the material to optimise the strength characteristics
• Consider innovative use of shape and form for the structure of your design, as well as creative use of graphics (where appropriate)
• Research the pack/product of your choice and outline any commercial advantages you feel are offered
• Consider the environmental effect of your design offer, indicating how your solution compares favourably to the replaced pack/product 


I completely forgot about this brief and have realised that the deadline is 4 weeks away, (2 weeks until having to register online) I feel like this will be enough time to complete the product up to a good standard if I start researching now. The whole brief is about shelf impact - something which will be crucial for me to understand if I want to go into packaging design. The brief will look good in my portfolio as well because it is a known brand.

Integrity Windows: Van Design

 Last week I sent Ray the range of letterhead, compliment slips and business cards, however he is currently moving house so the project understandably has slowed down whilst I am waiting for a response. In the mean time I have begun designing a layout for his van. The space is 900mm X 500mm and will need to promote the business and give passers by an easy way to contact him. I wanted the number and email to be as big as possible so that it would be clear and easy for people to jot down. 

I have struggled to get all the information to fit in nicely and look neat and professional. I think it has been harder because it is a much bigger size so I find it hard to see what it would actually look like in real size.

Using a picture of his van I have mocked the design into the available space to see how it sits. So far, it looks okay, the contact details and company name is in the boldest and clearest font so that it is easier for people to read especially if the van is driving at the time.  I will send this to Ray and see what he thinks. 

Flyer

I know he said that he wanted some simple flyers to post through doors around the area that he has been working. I have made the flyer A5 so that it will be postcard size and easy to get through a letterbox. At the moment I have only put basic information on the design as requested. It will be easier to sort the layout once Ray has got back to me about what style he likes; that way I can make the range of designs cohesive so they all work together. 

Value Range: Veg

I wanted to create a design that could be printed onto a plastic bag for the carrots, parsnips and potatoes. I am unsure about how I will actually print this out or whether I will just present it as an idea as I don't have the facilities to print on plastic. 

I began by drawing out a carrot and parsnip with ink to match the same style as the chicken previously drawn. This will help to keep the branding of the range cohesive. 

I experimented with how the illustrations could be placed on the bag. Initially I started by placing them in a line however this isn't overly eye catching or interesting to look at. I then began thinking that if I could make a pattern out of the veg then this would be a style that could continue on the other packages - again making it more cohesive. 

Here both bags have been mocked up on Indesign, I will add in necessary nutritional value to the bottom right corner of the bag. The illustrations create a stronger effect visually when used in a pattern, the bag would be see through and the veg in the bag would show through. This will also add more colour as the parsnips and carrots will become the backdrop to the illustrated pattern. The orange either side of the white space subtly reemphasizes that it is a Sainsburys product as well as making the corresponding orange type stronger. 

Time Management: 3 Week Plan

I have decided to make a 3 week plan so that I can organise my time better. I want to have a good body of work done for next week for the portfolio surgery, I also want to start emailing companies about work experience so this is a real push factor to get more work finished. 

On the week commencing the 15th we have portfolio help, by this date I want to have finished Integrity Windows so that extended practice will have one brief fully finished. I also want to make a lot of progress with the value range as I begun this back in September, if I can get it finished in February it will give me more time to start other larger projects. By the 15th I want to have my portfolio template set out, I don't mind if this completely changes as the year goes on but I want to have a basic structure which I can send to companies when asking about work experience. If I can have at least 4 pieces of work in the portfolio this should be enough when contacting companies, it will give them a taste of my work, style and thought process. By this time I also want to have my CV completed so that I can send it to companies.