WorkPace: great brands stand out

Final packaging using supplied elements as briefed. My contribution is the overall layout, photo composites, and the one-page capabilities brochure on the reverse of the package.

Blue and yellow youthful and fresh colour concept, easy monoline expressive modern illustration with legacy logo. Positioning statement and Illustration express single-minded proposition of injury prevention for computer users. Strong colour blocking distinctive from competition, thereby avoiding brand parity on the shelf.

Blue and yellow youthful and fresh colour concept, front panel of carton fold-out reveals details of software capabilities.

Light and lively collage concept, strong sans-serif WorkPace logo upgrade. Messaging expresses single-minded proposition of injury prevention for computer users. Truth to materials, visual elements of the software, exercises and emoticons portrayed in the collage grid. Short copy encourages a brisk easy engagement. Evolutionary upgrade to niche logo to strengthen.

Light and lively collage concept, legacy serif font. Messaging shifts focus to single-minded proposition of injury prevention for computer users. Truth to materials, visual elements of the software portrayed in the collage. Short copy encourages a brisk engagement. Evolutionary upgrade to Niche logo to strengthen.

Blue and yellow fresh, youthful colour concept, clean, strong sans-serif font WorkPace logo redesign. Positioning statement shifts focus from RSI disease cure to intelligent RSI prevention. Truth to materials, visual elements of the software, 8bit icons, form the lively collage. Clearcut typist has undivided focus. Short copy encourages a brisk engagement. Strengthened Niche logo to compare and contrast with legacy one.

Blue and yellow fresh, youthful colour concept, legacy WorkPace logo. Legacy Niche logo to compare and contrast with stronger upgrade proposal.

Clean minimalist white space blue yellow accent colour concept, legacy logo. Messaging shifts focus to express injury prevention for computer users. One page brochure on back contrasts with the front’s clear-cut image and white space which places undivided focus on purpose of software. The back encourages engagement in competitive evaluaton instore.

Whenever I am working on a packaging design project I am focussed on one thing, how can I add value. How can I by research, writing, developing messaging and design elements add value? What strategy can I develop that will make the WorkPace breaks and exercises software brand better and stronger? What strategy can I develop that will help create engaging packaging design concepts that appeal to office workers and their managers?

Visual interpretation of the brief

Visualising design ideas with digital renderings conveys how a packaging design will work as well as how each package will relate to itself, in the round, and any other sales collateral while on display. Digital renderings are also a low-cost option in comparison to physical prototypes when working on the early package concepts.

Amazing possibilities arise out of digital renderings, seeing concepts fully realised allows decision makers to immerse themselves in their choices.

The WorkPace Ergonomic breaks & exercises software packaging project

The concept and material for the packaging redesign was a straightforward one. Feature image, typography, colours, brand look were all a given. Among the value I added to this project was the illustrated selling message on the reverse, the new set of colour exercise illustrations and other illustrative design elements.

Developing a small set of draft packaging solutions that meet and stretch expectations

With this project I also took the opportunity to explore a number of concepts with the client for future creative direction. I was concerned that the brand needed to stay ahead of trends, as the received look appeared to be becoming out of date, not least due to advances in the computer hardware and office attire. The dark heavy, overall sombre, almost oppressive mood of the feature image, and the split focus between computer operator in the foreground and her male colleague or manager in the back, while a credible office vignette, the first impression lacks impact and single-minded focus. The blue and yellow colours of the brand are a bright, fresh and youthful colour combination, the legacy packaging look relegated colour to play no part in the impression created by it. My strategy developed around the observation that colour was a significant brand asset that was completely overlooked.

Hundreds of brand equity studies confirm that consumers recall the colour of a package first, the shape or structure second, and the style of a brand’s logo third. This proves the most recognized components of a brand are design-related, first and foremost colour.

I refined a couple of fresh creative directions upon this strategy and presented mockups to the client that you see in the gallery.

The goal was to have a visually informed discussion with the client regarding my strategic idea that the package needed to be able to convey three powerful points;

the manner in which the software behaves in such a way as to actively care for computer users,
the comfort of knowing that something is installed on your computer by your employer which is actively looking out for you, and
the feeling of WorkPace being as essential to highly productive computer users as the office chair that they sit upon.

I was aiming for the effect that when you look at the package you say,

“Yes it does look like this product is good, easy to use, technologically advanced, and it will keep me safe from repetitive strain injury in the workplace.”

The packaging design process

A simplified overview of the steps which a package goes through from concept to completion. This process is a model modified to suit each project. The factors that affect the flow and order of the steps are:

Market research and client research,
Brainstorming & ideation of draft strategies and thumbnail visual ideas,
Establish the messaging & communication hierarchy,
Competitive product, retail environment boards, style/mood boards,
Explore form & structure,
Prephotography, preillustration,
Concept development,
Presentation of designs.

Testing the concepts rendered in 3D context provides insights very difficult to grasp by just creating a flat design in 2D on a page. Adapting the design based on the client’s review of renderings can improve the chances of success without diluting the original concept.

Credits

Design studio: Surface Active graphic design
Font credits: Akzidenz Grotesk, Handel Gothic, Compacta