Get inspired!

In these two websites you'll find great inspiration for your next project.

http://www.portfoliocenter.com/studentwork/

http://designarchives.aiga.org/

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Project #5 ::: Ads

Ads


THE ASSIGNMENT

Contemporary Graphic Design is always in a flux and evolving as the tide of advertising and marketing a product (and its audience) changes it values. Throughout history design has echoed the time and culture of our world; at times, is has lead our culture and indeed has manipulated ethics, values and consumerism in the world. It is necessary to know where design has been in order to produce something relevant to its future.

This assignment is based on the previous one. It must relate to your carton in its overall visual delivery. You will be advertising the manufacturer's package re-design. You want to make sure that your client's shift to a "green mindset" is the message you're sending to the public, but remember you're "selling" a product in the ad. Show off its new package and its features.


Each of the three sizes of ads must have a relationship to not only each other but also to the product as well. Like learning another language, you must deliberate in its delivery to the public and should not shy away from details or simplicity in order to punctuate its product.

Focus, delivery, continuity and presentation are the essentials for this revelation of what you think and feel eco-friendly design is all about.

Harmony between type and image is crucial. You may decide to use a non-traditional font for the headline, but remember people must be able to read a more extensive body of text easily. Try not to use more than two fonts.


You can use other images than your own in this project.


____Remember that if your product is in an eco-friendly package, than your ad should somehow "say" that as well.


THE SPECIFICS

- Must have at least a real tagline and/or headline, which should mention the new eco-friendly approach, and at least one paragraph of body copy talking about the product and maybe saying that the company is now using eco-friendly papers, and vegetable ink to print and renewable energy to print the new cartons, for example. The tagline/headline must be real, but the text for the paragraph doesn't. It can be generated this way*. However, real copy in your big ad would definitely look better in your portfolio.

- Must have at least one high resolution photograph of the new carton and at least one image of the product. (You might want to show different views of your carton as well as the product, if you want). Remember that images, colors and type also send individual messages. Use them to deliver your ideas.

- The product's logo must be represented in all 3 sizes of ads, however the tagline/headline can change as long as there is some cohesiveness and continuity between these sizes.


- Composition, type, imagery, texture, and color is very important to this ad. You may choose a symmetrical/assymetrical design according to your product and the focus that you bring to it. Examine other ad campaigns such as movie campaigns in newspapers to examine how they convey a central marketing ad strategy yet the sizes of the ads may vary (Calvin Klein cosmetics, Levi Jeans, Gap, Chanel, Banana Republic).

- 8"x10"
Full page ad
Must have:
> Images
> Headline/tagline
> Body copy (at least one paragraph)
> Company's logo
> Company's web address

5"x5"
Square ad
Must have:
> Different images than the ones used before
> Headline/tagline
> Company's logo
> Company's web address

3"x10 1/2"
Side of page ad
Must have:
> Different images than the ones used before
> Headline/tagline
> Company's logo
> Company's web address

***IMPORTANT:
Remember to look at your ads, after you're done, with fresh eyes. Try to see if they make sense to you. It would be even a better thing if you can, show them to someone who has no idea of what you've been working on. The message must be attractive, clear and straight forward.

THE SIZE
Needs to be designed vertically.
8"x10" (first board)
5"x5" (second board)
3"x10 1/2" (second board)
On two 11"x17" boards

CONSIDER:
- Continuity: remember your ad represents your product, so they must have a strong relationship (brand identity).
- Communicate to your audience efficiently.


Clean craftsmanship is a must. The advertisement should look as "real" as possible.

* Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry.

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Schedule after the break

Monday, December 1st, work in class (brochure).

Wednesday, December 3rd is going to be the last day of mandatory work in class and the brochure's in progress-critique.

Monday, December 8th is a work-from-home day, for those who want. This will allow you to have a little more time to work in your projects, to print, to cut and to make your mock-ups. Absences will NOT be counted.

Wednesday, December 10th is:
- the Brochure's critique;
- the last day to resubmit work;
- when you must submit a cd/dvd with a copy of ALL versions of your files, from beginning to final result for each one of the 5 projects you worked on. Files must be labeled as shown previously in this blog.

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Package redesign:::Critique this Wed, Nov 19th

Hi class,

As we discussed last Wednesday, our critique is going to be this next Wednesday, November 19th.

You must present your mock up package (container and graphics on it) during critique.

- You may make some adjustments to your package over the break and resubmit it by December 3rd. I'm only going to grade this project after the final submission on December 3rd.
- Your flat package on a board doesn't have to be submitted this Wednesday, but must be submitted until December 3rd.

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Great graphic design

Click on the link below to see AIGA's (American Institute of Graphic Arts) 2008 selection.

(2008) 365: AIGA Year in Design 29

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Suggestion on how to prepare your file

Flat carton printing marks

Make sure to use this code when creating your flat carton file.

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Sustainable Design Guide

Click here to download the Sustainable Design Guide, then click on the tabs in the website to navigate.

There, you will learn a lot about sustainable design and you will also find the logos and terms that can help you decide what processes and papers you would have used in your project.

Also, besides the recycling logo and the "Printed with soy ink" phrase you should include the following information:

1. Indicate PCW content (Post-consumer waste = Recycled paper)

Definition of Post-Consumer Waste: Waste paper that has passed through the end-user, such as newspapers, office papers, paper bags and cartons.

You can have something like this in your package:

Eg: Made from 100% recycled paper, containing minimum 30% Post-consumer waste.

Note: Recycled paper can also be made from Pre-consumer waste too.

Definition of Pre-Consumer Waste: This may consist of paper trim, die clippings from die cutting of envelopes and corrugated boxes, or waste off the printing press. This is waste that has not passed through the end user.

2. Include "FSC" certification (Forest Stewardship Council) or "SFI" (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) logos.

To learn more about these terms, you can also visit:
http://www.fsc.org/
http://www.aboutsfi.org/


3. You can also encourage end user to either share or recycle the printed piece
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Supermarkets:::Something to think about

For manufacturers, packaging is the crucial final payoff to a marketing campaign. Sophisticated packaging is one of the chief ways people find the confidence to buy. It can give a powerful image to products and commodities that are in themselves characterless. In many cases, the shopper has been prepared for the shopping experience by lush, colorful print advertisements, thirty-second television minidrama, radio jingles, and coupon promotions. But the package makes the final sales pitch, seals the commitment, and gets itself placed in the shopping cart. Advertising leads consumers into temptation. Packaging is the temptation. In many cases it is what makes the product possible.p.3

A supermaket is as complex and as predatory as a tropical rain forest. p.4

Just because you are not looking at a package doesn't mean you don't see it. Most of the time, you see far more than a container and a label. You see a personality, an attitude toward life, perhaps even a set of beliefs.

the product has been used up and the package is empty, (...) the package becomes suddenly visible once more. This instant of disposal is the time when people are most aware of packages. It's the negative moment, like the end of a love affair, and what's left seems to be a horrid waste.p5

From Hine's Total Package.

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Optimum sheet use

Commercial Printing:

To go green with commercial printing, opt for optimum sheet use. Work closely with the printer early in the planning process. Parent sheets of paper typically come in several standard sizes. You can size your projects to make more efficient use of standard sheet sizes by printing two-, three-, or four-up (or more) to use less paper and minimize waste.When making comps, request the use of double-sided, smaller, reused, or recycled paper.Research printing houses that use environmentally friendly inks (also called agri-based inks). These are made from biodegradable organic components, such as soy, linseed, or cottonseed oil.These practices not only help save the environment, they save your client money. So he profits from being environmentally conscious.

Source.

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Some online references

http://www.designcanchange.org/#home

http://sustainability.aiga.org/

http://www.sustainablepackaging.org/current_members.asp

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Paper/Prevention/

http://www.celerydesign.com/flashy.html.

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Material:::Biodegradable overwrap/Eco-sleeve_CDs/DVDs

NEW!
Wrap your CD or DVD in bio-degradable overwrapIt looks exactly like plastic overwrap, but it won't be living in a landfill a million years from now. MMS now offers overwrap for your jewel box, DigiPak™, or EcoSleeve packaging that is made from bio-degradable material, at no extra charge.Your wrap will come printed with a small notice stating that it is completely bio-degradable, unless you would prefer not to include that information. You can also choose to custom print your overwrap, for an extra plating fee.NEW!100% Recycled Cardboard Eco-SleeveIntroducing the new MMS EcoSleeve series of environmentally friendly cardboard packaging, available in a wide range of designs, with ready-to-use downloadable templates.
Best of all, the new MMS EcoSleeve with 100% recycled board is available at exactly the same price as a regular board sleeve.

http://www.musicmanufacturing.com/green.php#overwrap

Overpackaging

By Mary Kuhl
Special to The Christian Science Monitor
Here.

The tiny present wrapped inside a slightly larger box, put into a yet-bigger box, and so on, may be a good joke for a birthday or Christmas – but the packaging of many household goods is almost as bad.

One-third of American garbage is packaging materials, according to the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington. And there's not necessarily a good reason for it. Many companies are simply following convention and haven't looked into better ways to package their products, says Terry Grist of the EPA.Overcrowded landfills are not the only problem associated with excessive packaging. Simply manufacturing the packaging uses energy and creates pollutants, says Mr. Grist.Not only is minimal packaging better for the environment, it also costs less to produce. "Companies can save a lot of money when they reduce packaging," Grist says. But to keep excessive packaging from clogging landfills, consumers also need to be alert when they buy products. Here are a few ways to reduce packaging waste:

• Avoid snacks and other foods wrapped in individual serving sizes. Instead, buy bigger bags of the snacks and put smaller servings in paper bags.• Instead of putting a juice box in your child's lunch bag, buy juice concentrate, mix it in a reusable container, and send a thermos with the lunch.

• Make your own "lunchables." Rather than purchasing the prepackaged version, buy a block of cheese, some sandwich meat, and crackers.

• Buy personal hygiene and home-cleaning products in bulk when possible.• Buy cereal in bags instead of boxes, which usually contain bags inside.

• Buy loose fruits and vegetables instead of those packaged in Styrofoam trays and shrink-wrap. Fix your own fresh-fruit cups instead of buying cut-up fruit in plastic containers.

• Avoid buying products packaged in blister packs (molded plastic attached to cardboard.) Although sometimes blister packs serve a hygienic purpose (making sure cosmetics or medicines aren't tampered with, for instance), they are often unnecessary.

• When you buy clothing in a department store or boutique, ask that the clerk not wrap the garments in tissue paper.

• Ask for loose stamps at the post office instead of prepackaged books.

• Buy concentrates when possible. Many juices, soups, and cleaning agents are available in concentrate.• Use fewer individual serving-size bottles of water and juices.

• Buy milk and juice in glass or plastic containers, which can be recycled. Some of the waxed cardboard containers with plastic spouts cannot be recycled.

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Interesting article

ATLANTA, Ga.—Packaging is essential in the marketing and sales of almost every product. Not only does it protect the integrity of the item inside, it also promotes the brand and attracts customers. The average grocery store logs between 35,000 and 40,000 SKUs and nearly 70 percent of in-store purchases are impulse buys. With so many products vying for consumers’ attention, the typical retail environment has turned into a product battlefield. While sustainability is currently top-of-mind for all Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies, shelf impact remains a high priority. Read article.

Packaging:::Students' work

These examples were designed by other GSU students. However, they were not assigned to design eco-friendly packages.

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Project #4 ::: Eco-friendly package redesign

A continuation and exploration of image and type as unifying graphic design elements in a 3D point of purchase environment.


THE ASSIGNMENT
Redesign an existing consumer product packet which is already on the market.
The choice of the product is crucial to the final presentation. Choose something which will inspire, encourage and initiate lofty creative design ideas for this 3D project. I would suggest you choose a product which is in dire need of redesign instead of those packages which are already successful from their point of purchase delivery.

Your final project will be presented on 11 x 17 inches board (flat) AND another version will be presented in 3D (the working prototype).

You must think about the entire construction of the assignment (graphics that run from front to back, top to bottom) The necessary information from the existing "found and redesigned" package/product should still accompany your final design. (logo, ingedients, ISBN# scan, manufacturer, etc)


THE OPTIONS
You might wish to change the logo, copywriting, or even the shape of the "original"consumer product you have chosen to redesign. This is only an option; however, you may wish to stick to the basic information from your chosen productand redesign it. Stay focused on your original concept. Simplicity.


THE STARTING POINTS
A. Do a walkthrough of a supermarket/retail store/speciality shops/hardware stores/shopping malls, etc.
B. Make a selection of several products that you feel might be better designed for public consumption.
- Consider shelf space and interaction between the product and consumer;
- What does it look like from the front, from the side and when it is stacked alongside itself?
- Do some individual testing for yourself. RESEARCH.
C. Think about the point of puchase (POP) approach in advertisement/marketing.
D. What is the proper hierarchy for type on a three-dimensional form?
E. How does color and size of type work along with your images?
F. Is your product necessary, frivolous, important, healthy, comical to our society? Who is your market?


THE SPECIFICS
PRODUCT: You may choose any consumer package which you will redesign.
RESEARCH: Sketches and mock ups must accompany this project.
SIZE: The size is required by the product you redesign (what is inside the package). You are allowed to create another shape or size of the product ONLY if the material inside is comfortable within its new home.

This is an eco-friendly project so you must consider:
1. The amount of paper you are going to use in each package.
2. How packages behave when transported (optimize shape and size)
3. Encourage recycling by adding the recycling symbol in the package.
4. This is a glue free, tape free, sticker free (etc) project, so think of alternative ways to close your package.


October 27 Bring in 3 packages that you are considering to redesign
October 29 Bring in redesign sketches + Work in class

November 3 Work in class
November 5 Work in class

November 10 Work in class & discussion about product's brochure (Project #5)
November 12 Work in class - In progress critique

November 17 Work in class
November 19 Final Critique

* These dates are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

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how do you want to use your lab fee money?

Hey class,

On Monday you're going to tell me how you want to spend your lab fee money, so here's the list of things you can choose from:

1. Design books from Amazon
2. Mounting Boards and spray mount for each student
3. Printing in CMC lab
4. Print paper for students
5. Thumb Drives
6. Linda.com tutorials or DVD's to share in the class
7. Miscellaneous design supplies
8. Printed books from Blurb.com
9. DVD's or CD's for students

* Just remember that, whatever you guys choose, everybody will get the same exact material. No exceptions.

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Book design:::Need some inspiration?

let's do the very best we can do!
see you all tomorrow.

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