D&AD: Feminine Hygiene Packaging

Part of one module was to select a D&AD brief and execute it as we would if we were entering. I chose the *burst brief, which was in short to rebrand and repackage feminine sanitary protection.

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.

 

One week project: Nivea Visage Young

A one week project was assigned halfway through the final term of the third year of university, and the aim was to advertise Nivea Visage Young to the younger demographic. The mediums were billboard and bus shelter posters, and the logos, tagline and colours had to remain the same. Below are the three boards submitted, along with close-up views of the final pieces.

Initial ideas board:

Development board:

Finals board:

Final billboard design:

Final bus poster design:

Final bus poster

 

The Sloane Project: Update

I have recently been informed that the Sloane project we completed before Christmas has been marked and returned from Sloane. My project received 70% (A) and has been selected by Sloane to be prototyped in their factory in Northampton, as a proposal to a major client.

Pretty cool eh?

 

Third year uni: The Gillette packaging project

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.

 

Third year uni: The Sloane Project

One of the main projects in the first term of the third year of university was to research environmental materials and design a new point of sale stand for a product of our choice, based on our materials research. The idea was to make it as environmentally ethical and considerate as possible. I chose the Playstation 3 with the aim of reducing assembly time, transport costs and material costs. It was also discovered through the research that 60% of retailers do not recycle their point of sale stands, regardless of what they are made from. Interesting stuff eh? It’s amazing what you can find out just by asking people.

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.

 

Second year uni: New business development

This project was mainly based in business, and the brief was to think up a new business idea and execute the business plan, finance and all related design features like logos etc. My new business was a jewellery design company who would make jewellery out of recycled bottle caps to sell on Leicester market. I aimed high.

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.

 

Second Year Uni: Aerosol Project

The brief for the aerosol project was to change people’s attitudes about aerosols, informing and educating but not in a patronizing way. It was both group work and individual work, with the research undertaken by the group and the design solutions by the individual. Below is a sample of my work and the report we wrote as a group.

My individual design work:

Development of the final advert:

The group report and flyer design:

 

University: Second Year

My second year at university was filled with things like business plans, report design, aerosol can marketing and making a big box out of astroturf to get the environmental point across. It was a very fun time, and in all of this I managed to pass a dance exam with a B and work at the local Walkabout, where I was the top earning barmaid. You get a long way with a smile.