A lot of research went into this project due to the large age range (13 – 65) and the huge diversity of market segments. Let’s face it, every woman in the world needs sanitary protection, which is why it is such an outrage that it is not VAT free in this country. But that’s beside the point.

Rich picture profiles were created to ensure that all market segments were covered, and several places of use and usage patterns emerged that were key to the project conclusion:

• The dressing table: There is not a lot of space, and sanitary protection boxes are made to fit into drawers, as if menstruation was something to be ashamed of. The customisation and environmental elements were also key factors in the development of a solution, hence the windows for inserting photos or pictures. The tins above have magnetic sides, and the tops and bottoms slot together as well enabling the consumer to create custom shapes depending on their individual dressing space. The tins are colour co-ordinated for easy selection.

• The big ‘daytime’ bag: It was generally found that girls and women of all ages had a big daytime bag. For girls that was a schoolbag, and for women an oversized handbag as seen on the likes of Victoria Beckham et al. This also highlighted that women often exhibit stockpiling tendencies with regards to feminine hygiene packaging. A solution was required that would enable women to carry more tampons and towels but also allow them to stockpile for emergencies. The solution above provided this, rolling up to protect the products.

• The small ‘evening’ bag: Women and girls showed a recurrent trend for smaller evening bags, only carrying essentials. Some women expressed a preference for no bag whatsoever, leading to the creation of a multi-purpose carrier that would include coins, makeup, keys and allow cards such as ID or cash cards to slide into the lid. The whole carrier fits into a back pocket, and is reusable as it is manufactured from stamped metal embossed with a pattern.

During the three week work placement I was asked by CreativTypes to make a few illustrations about my time there and what I had learnt, and the above images are the results. I tried to keep to the hand lettering theme, but wanted to experiment with styles to give a greater range of choice for CreativTypes. It was a fun and informative placement, and I learnt everything from Quark tips to printing preferences. Just being in the office and watching a graphic design company at work in the real world was such a thrilling experience because it meant that I saw behind the scenes as well as the client facing approach. They were also kind enough to include a trip to a printers so I could see all the different printing and cutting processes used to create different effects. I loved every minute, and had such a great time with the professionals at CreativTypes.

The logo was designed for an employee training company called ‘On Performance’, who developed a training scheme for a group of Audi dealerships. It will be actively used by the company.

Initial ideas board:

Development board:

Finals board:

Final billboard design:

Final bus poster design:

Final bus poster

Pretty cool eh?

For one of the modules we were asked to choose an RSA brief to work on, and I chose the redesigning packaging brief. The idea, in brief, was to redesign packaging of your choice to make it less wasteful and more environmentally friendly. I noticed very quickly that Gillette had massively huge packaging for their teeny weeny razors, and thus the project was born. All because I had to pop to the shops to buy my boyfriend a razor. Great eh?

For the whole project, from conception to delivery, please see my other blog Design Management 3506. This blog fully describes my design and thought processes, and features very comprehensive graphics showing the idea generation and concept development. Check it out.

This project received 76% (A) for CAD and 74% (A) overall.

The final report design. The cover/holder was made from scraps of cardboard I found under the stairs, and ribbon from a christmas present.

The final POS design. It was compact, robust and 100% recyclable.

Below are examples of the design of my company, and if you would like to see my business plan in real life, drop me a line.

My business logo. It was made from scratch from a photo of a seagull, and it was aimed at the ‘alternative’ market because that is the target market for my products:

Below is the business plan, created with the intention of breaking away from the ‘normal’ report style. It was landscape and unfolded to reveal contents on the far left, main business plan in the middle and appendix on the right. Both the report and the appendix were tabbed so people could easily find what they wanted when they read it. My tutor thought it was such an innovative way of doing it he showed it to the Head of the Design Council.

My individual design work:

Development of the final advert:

The group report and flyer design: