business of design: design process and working with a client

-MARKETING BRIEF
Offers background information about the company and brand, product personality, trends and competition, target audience, timetable, budget and cost issues, production issues and constraints, regulatory issues and environmental policies. You'll notice there is more detail than the design brief we created in project 1 and there is a great deal of research that large companies compile prior to designing packaging.
-RFP [Request for Proposals]
The client invites design firms to submit work to meet a project's goals. They discuss project management process, working methods, billing and client meetings.
-DESIGN PROPOSAL
Design Methodology
Research and analysis, preliminary design, design development, final design refinement/comps, pre-production and digital mechanicals
Project terms
Meeting/deliverable schedule, fees and expenses, services like illustration, photography, printing that are sub-contracted and production schedule.
-FEE DETERMINATION
The scope of the assignment, size of the client, size of the firm are factors in this assessment. There might be fees for each phase or an hourly or daily rate, or project rate. Payment schedules, estimated costs and expenses and other issues connected to the billing cycle, design ownership and cancellation policy are included.
AGREEMENT OF TERMS
The design proposal is approved and signed by the client.
STARTING THE PROJECT
Usually there is a team orientation meeting with all the stakeholders responsible for the package design development. Some of the roles are as follows:
a. Marketer-provides objectives
b. R & D [Research & Development] provides appropriate information on the product's attributes
c. Structural engineer-provides manufacturing guidelines and drawings of the physical package
d. Production develops output for printing
e. Purchasing gets materials and printing
f. Operations directs the manufacture, filling/packing and distribution of the product
g. Advertising agency promotes the product

PHASE 1: RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
A redesign might change an exisiting package
Category analysis is a survey to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the competition. This is the idea behind our product comparison analysis. This provides clues to what attracts the consumer and how to differentiate the new look from other existing products.
Product analysis looks at how a product functions. What type of material is used, environmental issues and physical structure.
Brand name is the single most important element of a packaging design. It identifies the brand and the product, supports the brand promise and creates a distinctive and memorable impression.
Name Generation begins with a list of words that are associated with the product and it's personality. Use a dictionary or thesaurus and combine words and letters to make new words. A name and trademark search will reveal if the name is available. The goal is to get a positive response from the consumer.

-DEVELOP A MOOD OR CONCEPT BOARD
The goal is to convey the essence of a product or service in a well-organized collage.

PHASE TWO: PRELIMINARY DESIGN
-BRAINSTORMING AND IDEATION
Conceptualization, brainstorming and experimentation are the first steps after research. Don't judge your ideas but just put them down. Sometimes the oddest notions are the germs of greatness. A book I highly praise is by Steven Pressfield. I believe this is a life changing book for an artist and it is required reading for all my portfolio students. It is called The War of Art: Winning the inner creative battle. The book focuses on all the forms of resistance that keep us from achieving our creative goals and teaches you how to remove those blocks. I mention this, as it is important not to get caught up in self-criticism and to move forward with ideation. Some great techniques I suggest for coming up with ideas are:
Make lists
Make mind maps [diagrams]
Take notes
Keep a journal [carry it with you everywhere]
CONCEPTS AND STRATEGIES
Strategic thinking is the rationale for a clear concept. A package design should be ingenious, inventive and grab the attention of the viewer. There is a list of words on page 195 in our text than can help you identify strategies.
SKETCHING IN BLACK AND WHITE
As Doyald Young says draw, draw, draw.
LOGO DEVELOPMENT
THUMBNAILS [thinking with your pencil-small, quick idea sketches]
INITIAL LAYOUTS
Enlarging and working on some of the better rough ideas. 10-15 concepts is realistic and don't let them be just variations of one idea. Some thoughts for conceptualizing packaging are:
Clean
Repeating patterns
Layered
Split image
Action
Subtle
Breakout
Signature

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO GO TO THIS LINK AS IT IS VERY INSPIRING.
http://www.stpinsidedesign.com/STEPMagazine/Article/28812/0/page/2

VISUAL HIERARCHY
Look at the layouts of the Lindsay olives packaging and TLC crackers on page 199-201 of our textbook. You need to create clear 1, 2's and 3's in your design for a label or package. The size, color, positioning and relationship of the design elements all guide the viewer eye.
For example a preliminary display panel might include:
Brand name
Product descriptor
Flavor, variety...
Net weight
Pack size or product count
Romance copy or other product benefits

DESIGN REVIEWS AND PRESENTATIONS
Open dialogue and critique of design concepts with a focus on needed modifications.

PHASE 3: DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
In this phase you would work out the details of the design and bring in subcontractors like illustrators and photographers. Color considerations include assessment of the colors the competition uses, how it can be used to differentiate the product line, communicates a feature or personality and flavor, scent or season. General guidelines for net weight and product contents copy are inputted. The size of the font is determined by guidelines of the FDA.
COMPREHENSIVES OR COMPS
These are 3 dimensional models or prototypes that give a realistic representation of what the product will look like. This is what we will be creating in our final project. It must be flawlessly assembled. Size relationships and the positioning of graphic elements can only be realistically addressed on the 3 D model. See the comps on page 213 and you will get a sense of how tight these designs can be.
RESEARCH
Examining the equity of a package design concept happens with consumer research. It might involve in store audits, market tests, focus groups and placing the comp in its retail environment. In portfolio I require that students get a shot of their comp on a store shelf with other related packaging. This is a way to prove that your design is effective.

PHASE 4: FINAL DESIGN REFINEMENT
This is touching up the final details. Please read page 217 to understand the term billboard-the appearance of a brand of products that form a strong communication presence together.

PHASE FIVE
PRE-PRODUCTION AND DIGITAL MECHANICALS
These items need to go to a printer
a digital mechanical
all fonts
color proofs
high resolution image files
color specs
indications and separations of layers
confirmation that all colors will reproduce in the correct printing process
specs for high gloss coating, uv matte coating
die cuts or windows specs
specs of other special finishes

some websites to check out

Please check out the following websites:

http://www.papress.com/thinkingwithtype/
Important concepts in designing marks include understanding and adjusting kerning, tracking and line spacing. Please study the examples carefully.

LOGO DESIGN HISTORY
http://www.logoorange.com/logodesign-A.php

TYPOGRAPHY AND THE DESIGN OF LETTERFORMS
http://www.logoorange.com/letterforms-design.php
Originally Published in the Society of Typographic Arts Journal, 1988

LEGIBILITY
http://www.logoorange.com/legibility-graphic-design.php

TEXT AND COLOR OPTIONS
http://www.logoorange.com/text-color-contrasts.php

THE MAKING OF COMPANY LOGO DESIGNS
http://www.logoorange.com/company-logo-history.php


ELEVEN TRENDS THAT WILL DEFINE LOGO DESIGN IN 2007
http://www.logoorange.com/logo-design.phpTEN TRENDS THAT WILL DEFINE LOGO DESIGN IN 2008
http://www.logoorange.com/logo-design-08.php

BRANDING AND CORPORATE IDENTITY RESOURCES
http://www.logoorange.com/branding-corporate-identity.php

COLOR RESOURCES:
http://www.logoorange.com/color/color-codes-chart.php

COLORS FOR CORPORATE LOGO DESIGN
http://www.logoorange.com/corporate-logo.php


IMPORTANCE OF WHITE SPACE:
http://www.logoorange.com/white-space.php

TALKING TO CLIENTS ABOUT LOGO DESIGN

A COMPANY LOGO MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO PUBLIC IDENTITY
http://www.logoorange.com/company-logo-identity.php

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING COMPANY LOGO IMPLEMENTATION
http://www.logoorange.com/company-logo-implementation.php

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS IDENTITY A TOP PRIORITY
http://www.logoorange.com/business-corporate-identity.php

CORPORATE ID: CREATING THE RIGHT PERCEPTION
http://www.logoorange.com/company-corporate-identity.php

CORPORATE ID: WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE IT SERIOUSLY
http://www.logoorange.com/branding-identity.php


MAKING AN IMPRESSION WITH YOUR COMPANY LOGO
http://www.logoorange.com/logo-impression.php

PAPER, COLOR AND THE PRINTING PROCESS
http://www.logoorange.com/paper-color-printing.php

Revised deadlines for Fall 2009

Thursday October 29th: Store identity and Shopping bags
Tuesday November 10th: Identity for packaging project
Tuesday December 1st: Packaging product line
Tuesday December 15th: Branding project final

Grow your portfolio with branding

Branding is the way to really grow your book.

Example:
You have an identity you like for a prescriptive skin care product or salsa or coffee house.
Brand it to the following:
-apron that employees wear
-matches
-cups, martini shakers, plates
-napkin
-caps/hats
-shampoo/conditioner/bath soap/shower cap-in room toiletries
-environmental graphics [place it onto an existing building you photograph or purchase stock photography]
-vehicles [place it onto an existing car/truck]
find an existing building that could work for your store-using Photoshop remove any graphics etc. Apply your own and change the colors of building, add awnings, banners etc. and then multiply them so they look like they are on the structure or vehicle.

-banners
-calendars
-seasonal cards/postcards
-canvas bags/backpacks
-shoes/sandals or other items of clothing
-towels
-kitchen implements-wooden cooking tools
-toys/ paper dolls-airplanes
-different types of containers-go to Container store
-go to places like Target/Cost Plus/Macys Home store and find un-branded items then brand them with your graphics. You can always make slight changes.

Get together with your classmates and brainstorm all the things you could produce.

Branding brief

You know about design briefs but what about creating a branding brief to push the emotions of your audience. Doing this exercise will help you visualize how to best reach your target audience. You can apply this idea to your own boutique hotel and publish the branding brief on the process pages of your portfolio.

El Cubano Hotel & Casino

The El Cubano brand is young adult male with a secondary target audience that is young adult and female.
It is upper middle class and global in scope.

The personality of El Cubano brand can best be described by these adjectives:
Friendly-the people of Cuba
Exciting, energetic-rumba beat
Creative-use of colors, dance and music styles
Flamboyant and loud-way Cubans talk-needs to be noticed

These emotional reasons emerge to define the brand personality.
El Cubano is the friendly bongo player during pre-Communist times in Cuba who has just finished his night of playing with the rumba band and is ready to party down. He is friendly, exciting, creative and flamboyant. He wears a white ruffled sleeve shirt and has a cool sense of style that attracts attention.

This personality will create a connection to our target consumers who are young, upper middle class men with an interest in international art, culture and music. A secondary target is women who are attracted to the style and flair of this personality.

Core values are the values our brand is built on and are the foundation of our company and the pillars of every message we deliver.

Core values: El Cubano brand is energetic and ready for stylish fun.

Brand message: Our key message is that El Cubano Hotel & Casino is the place to party and play.

Brand personality: El Cubano brand is flamboyant, full of energy, creative and flamboyant.

Brand Icons-The following tools will be used to deliver our brand message and personality.
Colors: pink, orange and red
Bright and energetic patterns and textures inspired from Cuba
Temperature is hot from all night dancing and partying
Smell is tropical breezes, coconuts, cigars
Layouts have a musical sense of play and rhythm
Textures include wooden cigar boxes, cigar leaves
Typefaces: Tahoma which suggests dancing
Voice overs: Cuban accents with energy and vivaciousness
Music: high energy Cuban rumba beats, conga drums, bass, rhythm instruments such as maracas, guitars and bongos