OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 7: ORGANIC FOOD CO. BRAND & PACKAGING DESIGN.

the seventh brief i decided to write was based in the practice of product packaging. this practice is something unfamiliar to me in recent years, however, i did study it at gcse/as level and so feel that i have some understanding. product packaging is an area of design that, as far as i understand, entails the understanding of space, form, function and aesthetic. as such, it should help me develop my ability to appropriate and deesign graphics in line with a physical object, along with my understanding of the design and production of said packaging.

i began by producing a spider diagram exploring the potential thematic paths my project could take. i wanted to involve a market/topic that i hadnt previously worked with and so kept that in mind.

the only other idea i liked was the carrier bag idea. while i think this would be a good graphic project, i feel as though it would be something progressed in my own time and so decided against it. that left me with the food company idea. i chose this one mainly because i havent previously worked on a brief that involves food and food packaging. i decided to involve the organic theme because i am interested in the health benefits it may offer and want to understand more about that, while feeding my graphic and product design skills.

i went on to write the brief:

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: ORGANIC FOOD COMPANY – BRANDING & PRODUCT PACKAGING.

Brief: Organic food is fast becoming one of the most sought after consumables and, with the newly emerging trends of healthy and conscious eating, people are ever more aware of their shopping purchases. There has also been a recent trend of ‘green-washing’ (making products appear eco-friendly/organic to appease the trend), which is making it harder to recognise and select products true to their appearance/ethos. Create a concept for an organic food company that truly resonates with the consumers’ expectations of the market and brand it appropriately. Propose a few meals/items the company would supply and produce the product packaging for them, in line with the company and its ethos/aims.

Background: Organic food is a trend that has been emerging amongst the middle classes for the past 20 odd years. With all trends, companies recognise the potential to generate a profit and, so, jump on the bandwagon and start supplying the market. This is no less true for the organic food market, which has been overly saturated with faux organic businesses. Most trends, once established, follow a recognisable aesthetic/design style. This allows brands to associate themselves with like-minded operators, and shows their customers that they are part of that market. With modern design, it is easy to mimic styles and, therefore, appears to have associations with certain trends (i.e. organic food).

Considerations: What does organic food packaging look like? What are the tell tale signs of real/fake organic companies? How can you divert the audience from fakeries to believe your brand? How should your packaging exist? How will it be organic? What materials should be involved? What should your logo look like?

Mandatory Requirements: The concept, ethos, brand identity of a new organic food company. Brand guidelines and logo placement. At least 3 product packages designed and produced.

Target Audience: Those engaged in healthy living and eating that want to by truly organic food products from trustworthy companies. Those naïve to the ‘green-washing’ that goes on and who would like to buy only legitimate products.

Tone of Voice: Friendly and inviting Knowledgeable and aware Righteous yet inclusive

Deliverables: Research into existing companies, aesthetics, practices, produce evidenced on your blog. Brand + guidelines. Product packaging. Exploration into product packaging and how it can be organic.

i am excited about this brief and feel it will give me a chance to try out a number of new things and broaden my understanding of design in general. furthermore i hope to learn more about healthy eating and how to appropriate functionality and aesthetic simultaneously.