Brief 3 - Basics Re-Brand

I originally planned to have a typeface brief as my third brief but this plan has changed now
(click here to read post about this)
I have now decided that my third brief will be a brief I picked out over summer. I mentioned this brief to Ellis and she liked the sound of it and suggested it could be a collaboration as she had wanted to something like this herself. I need to speak to her about this in more detail tomorrow to see if she still would like to do it, but if not I will still undergo this brief myself.


Over summer it was only written very basically so here is a revised version in more detail:


Brief Title - Supermarket Basics Re-Brand


The Brief - 


Concept/Proposition - 


Background - 


Target Audience - 


Tone Of Voice - 


Considerations - 


Mandatory Requirements - 


Deliverables - 

Ready Meal Inside Packaging

Currently I have been focusing on the outer design for my meal pack but now I have a pretty good idea of how this will take form, I'm moving onto the inner packaging. I've done some research into existing packaging for ready meals and have found most tend to come in a standard black microwavable plastic packaging with a clear film lid. They tend to lack in any form of surface design as the design mainly takes place on an outer box or sleeve made from card.

Many oriental take aways are purchased in the cardboard noodle boxes, however as my product is being sold in supermarket, it will be sat on a shelf for a while and so plastic will need to be used for the risk of the food product leaking, and also to keep freshness.

Anything like the above images will not work for my meal pack concept,  firstly because these plastic containers are too standard, plain and unattractive to even consider using alone and secondly, producing some kind of outer printed sleeve for them would be pointless as my pack already has its main outer packing. 

There is the option (examples above) that I could print onto the film tops of the packaging but i'm not too sure how I would go about doing this.

My next option is a form of packaging i've discovered which combines the use of cardboard and plastic:

I think something like this is a perfect option for my concept. The cardboard tubs instantly make more attractive packaging for the contents of the meal pack and also allow me to produce a printed design straight onto them, whilst the plastic layer inside prevents any leakage from the food and the lid will also keep the freshness whilst still allowing the contents to be shown. I would also produce some kind of labels for the lids and also the ingredients and nutritional information would possibly need to feature somewhere.

I've actually found a website where i've ordered a few free samples so I can have a look at how the net works in order to produce my own.

Initially created by a company called Alexir, this idea had been used by stores such as Tesco and Eat:

"The new “alexipack”® board tray system from Alexir packaging was the chosen option for Tesco’s chilled ready meals in their re-launched “Healthy Living” range. The tray is leak resistant with 75% of the tray being made from a renewable resource, board. It is ideally suited for chilled ready meals, and with the 35% reduction in packaging weight when compared against the same product used in 2007 meets with Tesco weight reduction programme giving it environmental benefits."

Chinese Eating Habits

To help me make design decisions in terms of the shape and form on my packaging, contents included and how the layout of the contents inside should be, I have done some research into the traditional way of chinese dining. This will help to achieve an oriental experience at home for the customers purchasing the meal pack:

Round or Square Table?

• Anthropological literature covering Chinese lifestyle facts offer conflicting evidence that this culture prefers a round or square table, though on occasion, a social scientist tries to make a case for one or the other based on the symbolism of earth and sky. In reality, round and square tables are simply more convenient than western-style rectangular ones for sensible reasons: if a family member or guest isn't within chopstick reach of the communal dishes situated in the center of the table, he could go hungry.

A Crowded Table

• Discover the meaning of the crowded table when partaking of a traditional Chinese meal. Each place setting includes a rice bowl, soup spoon, small plate, condiment dish, teacup and chopsticks. Place settings vie for table space taken up by the large bowls that contain a variety of meat dishes cooked in the style of the region in which the meal is served (e.g., Cantonese, Sichuan). Noodles are traditionally served in the north while rice is a southern staple. These days, both may wind up on the table. Teapots are placed on the table only after the last diner is seated. Don't look for a water glass. You won't find one.

Color, Variety and Bounty

• Since red is the color of joy and celebration, putting down a red cloth tablecloth makes a nice starting point for setting a traditional Chinese table. Glazed ceramic bowls featuring popular Chinese symbols like dragons, carp and flowers are heaped high. These family treasures are carefully hand-washed before being filled with stir-fried meats and vegetables. Unlike a western meal that consists of a main course and side dishes, etiquette mandates multiple main dishes, so it's essential to leave plenty of room in the center of the table for lots of bowls.

Read more: Traditional Chinese Table Setting | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8466190_traditional-chinese-table-setting.html#ixzz1btk4ndzt

Place Settings

• Each diner's place setting should include a bowl of grain, called "fan" in Chinese, small saucer, flat-bottomed soup spoon and pair of chopsticks. Simple tea cups are provided in lieu of water glasses, though asking for one will not cause offense, and be sure to place the guest of honor facing the entryway door, opposite the meal's host. At the meal's conclusion, a hot towel is usually provided, instead of napkins, for the diner to clean his face and hands.

Meal Presentation

• Traditional Chinese meals are typically served family style, with each dish being presented at once and diners eating directly from the communal plates with their long bamboo chopsticks. This includes eating from the same large soup bowl, hence the inclusion of the large, flat-bottomed soup spoon, from which diners usually slurp a small portion. The traditional use of the small saucer is for discarded bones and shells or as a place to rest bites too large to eat at once. The host will announce when diners may begin, and it is perfectly acceptable to reach across the table for a hard-to-reach morsel.

Dinner Decor

• In traditional Chinese homes, the decor is meant to create a complex yet appealing balance of colors, patterns and textured objects set against dark, solid wood furniture. At the dinner table, the colors red, gold and green would represent happiness, health and family, and common decor items include ivory figures, porcelain vases, lacquered wood and potted bamboo. Lanterns are staple lighting fixtures in many Chinese homes, and they may hang from above or sit among the entrees to light a traditional meal.

The Table

• To ease access to the table's center, where the meal is placed, Chinese dining tables are usually round or square, rather than rectangular. Traditional tables were typically built to accommodate eight to 10 diners, as it was not uncommon for several generations or extended families to be living under one roof throughout China over the centuries.

Read more: Traditional Chinese Table Dressings | eHow.co.uk http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8634268_traditional-chinese-table-dressings.html#ixzz1btuJFa2D

Products For My Range

For the shape of the bottles i'm going to stick to similar ones that The Body Shop use, the main reason is because I want to focus more on the surface design of the packaging but also it means they will still be recognisable to existing customers. The products i'm going to re-create as my winter collection will be:


- Body Lotion
- Hand and Nail Treatment
- Moisture Hair Butter
- Skin Reviver
- Lip Butter
- Body Loofah Mit

I've picked these products as from the research I have done, I think they will essential products for protecting and relieving the skin from the cold winter weather. These individual products also in different shape/sized bottles so I will have some variation in the packaging I design for them.


I will be re-designing/creating new packaging for each of the individual products but also I will be creating a gift set for them to be sold together which as it's coming up to christmas, will make a useful present idea. 

Why A Winter Range?

I've chosen to create a winter range as the cold whether can easily dry out your skin. I will be choosing essential products from the Body Shop to be a part of my range which protect and help the skin during the cold winter months.


Here is some information i've found on the internet about the effects of winter on your skin and why my proposed Body Shop range will provide a useful solution:


Winter can play havoc with your skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body and is susceptible to many of the environmental hazards that can attack it. A lessening of humidity causes the skin to lose moisture and become abnormally dry. Wearing additional layers of 
clothes will also have this effect by preventing the skins ability to breathe properly. This scenario causes the skin to become drier as the season progresses. Keeping the skin moisturised all year round is of course important, but becomes even more so during the winter months. Therefore, using a good moisturiser on a daily basis is a must.

Take shorter, less frequent showers. When the cold creeps under your covers on a dark winter morning, avoid the temptation to take a long soak in a hot bath or a steamy shower. Sure, it feels great when you’re chilled. But all that hot water pulls the oils from your skin, which ultimately leads to dryness. It’s better in winter to take shorter, less frequent showers, and turn to cozy sweaters and toasty tea to warm up.

Cleanse carefully. Choose a gentle cleanser for bathing rather than a harsher bar soap that can further dry your skin in winter. Look for liquid cleansers that clean and moisturise. Pat (don’t rub) your skin dry.

Moisturise. After showering and drying off, moisturise. You’ll probably want to trade your lighter summer moisturising lotion for a heavier cream, or even an oil-based ointment. A product you scoop out of a jar is probably a better choice in winter than one you squirt. Winter necessitates heavier armor.

Exfoliate. Not only does scrubbing away dead skin cells one or twice a week make your skin glow, but it can also help your moisturiser penetrate better, further protecting and beautifying your skin during winter's harsh weather.

Use sunscreen — yes, even in winter. Don’t let the temperature influence your sunscreen use — it’s just as important to protect your skin in winter. Plus, glare from snow and ice can magnify the sun’s effects. That means your hands and face — and any other areas exposed to the sun’s rays — need a dose of SPF before you head outside. Reapply sunscreen after every two hours you spend outdoors.

Protect your lips. You probably already reach for lip balm all day long in winter. Choose one that has a sunscreen incorporated to protect the delicate skin of your lips from the sun’s rays as well as from the chill and dryness.

Humidify your home. Adding moisture to your indoor air can help keep your skin healthy.

Watch trouble spots. Pay special attention to your hands. Frequent hand washing to thwart winter’s cold and flu germs can dry out your hands. Be sure to moisturise as often as you need to — even several times a day. To make moisturising routine, put a bottle of moisturiser next to the liquid soap in the bathroom. Because exposure to cold outdoor air can also dry your hands, get in the habit of pulling on a pair of mittens or gloves before you head outdoors. And keep your hands dry — if the weather is nasty, choose waterproof gloves.

* Information taken from www.doctorsexercise.com and www.dailyglow.com *

I will have a look at existing products by the Body Shop and find ones which will help with the issues above.

From the information above and also my own knowledge, the best products to include in my range will be a body lotion, a facial moisturiser, hand cream, lip balm, exfoliating scrub or mitten and from my own experience I also find your hair gets dry during winter so a hair care product will also be useful to have in my winter range.

Inspiring Packaging

So my aim for the Body Shop packaging is to have something clean and simplistic yet still has the Body Shop's 'natural' element to it.


Here is some packaging i've found which I feel relevant to this:

Amala designed by Liska & Associates 

Derma Nova designed by Hello Monday:

I love the contrast of the really clean clinical look to the front of this packaging against the harsh wood/bark print to the sides.

Lubatti

Designed by student Tyler Hamilton:

Designed by student Sarah Cespedes: 

Designed by Miller Creative:

The White Company designed by Aloof:

Designed by SomeOne:

Moya designed by Daniel Berkowitz

This is so plain and simple on the outside yet the way you open it up and the packaging revealed on the inside its just gorgeous and makes the product seem really special and unique. However something like this wouldn't be suitable for this brief as it could be seen as a waste of paper which goes against one of the Body Shop's core values of protecting the planet.

 Brachia Olive Oil designed by Tridvajedan:

Designed by student Sato Bon:

I love the element of nature for this packaging. The bottles are something you would happily have on display in your bathroom and I think a need for any outer packaging to be sold in is unnecessary as the bottles can stand out on the shelf by themselves. 

Designed by Moag Bailie: