OUGD602 - PPP - Industry Interaction - Eden (Graduate Fashion Week)

The final aspect of industry involvement and engagement is actually the most recent also. As of very recently I have began to start a collaboration with a graduating level 6 fashion student to create a range of publications to house fashion related content that will go out beyond university, through summer and hopefully to the future possibilities of paid work. Eden Hardwich (Fashion) approached me to design the publication for the range of clothing of which she will be debuting at Graduate Fashion Weeks, London. This engagement has offered me with vital experience and opportunities to follow my aspirations of eventually working within the sector of fashion editorial and hopefully will enable to start my career within fashion. This experience will be dependant on the factor that if eden does well and is noticed at graduate fashion week, my editorial/publication work will be there along side the clothing range and hopefully this may help me gain some notoriety.

OUGD602 - PPP - Industry Interaction - Golden

The final aspect of my industry involvement/experience came by means of an interview for a work placement and the possibility of a full time job at Golden Studios; a studio based in The Penthouse, Call Lane Leeds. This interview experience was actually very important for two major reasons.

The first of the reasons revolves around that fact that the interview also acted as a means of having my interviewing style, appearance as a designer and overall portfolio evaluated by some of the graphic designers from the Golden Studio team. This proved to provide me invaluable information including where to change my portfolio for future interview, an insight in to how I come across in studios and just generally advice of which will benefit my massively through my career as a designer. The second and most important piece of understanding/experience that the interview offered me with was the successful securing of a two week paid work placement at the studio with the possibility of being kept on for full time work depending on my performance during the placement. This placement will provide me with endless vital experience that can not be obtained through classical education alone, aspects of which can only be learnt in the real world graphic design industry.

Overall this experience has aided me massively off the back of the invaluable advice that I gained through the interview and even more crucial design experience that I will gain through the completing of the placement. The decision was made to partake in the design placement during the start of summer, June 12 - 26 specifically due to the fact that I believe that this design experience will prove most valuable once out of education. This decision was also made due to the fact that I want to leave my opportunities open to stay at Golden for longer than originally planned, if the work placement goes well enough.

OUGD602 - PPP - Industry Interaction - Instruct Studio

Another less crucial but still invoking component of industry involvement that I partook in was a studio visit to see a studio called Instruct Studio that are based the the Northern Quarter,Manchester. The intention of this industry involvement solely to see the the studio, see how it is run and to have a short informal chat with the designers.

Although this aspect of involvement didn't necessarily offer me anything physical such as advice or opportunities that could further process my journey to becoming a design it did help to aid me in the understanding of what graphic design studio culture is like. During my studio visit to Instruct I observed what it was like to work within a small studio space with a tight team of designers and even how work is distributed through the studio with the objective of achieving the work as simply as possible as a team. Although this engagement didn't offer me anything in the form of advice or experience it did offer me knowledge that would help me further understand the career path that is ahead of me.

OUGD602 - PPP - Industry Interaction - Something More

An additional instance of industry involvement/engagement came in the form of a prospective interview and portfolio criticism at Something More; a design studio based from Duke Studios, Leeds. Although this meeting was originally alluded to as an interview for a placement it was outlined on arrival that due to their overly busy schedule that the interview would act more as a form of portfolio evaluation and criticism. None the less this experience still provided me with valuable experience and advice of which will massively benefit me in the future.

During the in person chat with Something More at their studio, the process was stage as if to be a mock interview. During the conversations I showcased my digital portfolio along side a number of different physical examples of work while verbally running them through the inspiration, research ideas, concept and delivery of each of the different briefs. At the end of the experience the people at Something More then offered me vast amounts of advice regarding my interview style. This advice spanned from portfolio advice, to verbal fluency, to brief specific advice and even help with what to try next on my journey to being an industry involved professional graphic designer.

Although this interview didn't help me further my career by offering me the potential of a work placement or a full time job it did help me a lot to develop my experience and understanding of the formal interview scenario. Also offering me with portfolio advice for my next interview. Hopefully this advice that I received will adapt my interview experience and eventually aid my in securing a design job.

OUGD602 - PPP - Industry Interaction - Alec Dutson - Unsigned Magazine

Another alternative examples of industry engagement and involvement has become apparent through the regular chats/talks with Alec Dutson, of Intern Magazine. During out second year of education (level 5) Alec came in to run a scheduled session in which he tasked us with the invention of a new concept for a magazine which had to be informed and have reasonable rationale. We were then set the task of creating a cover and mock article for the magazine. During the session were created the concept of Unsigned Magazine, a magazine of which through eye catching but simplistic editorial design features articles pertaining to the topic of unsigned music artists. This was a fantastic experience due to the fact that not only does it fall within the realm of editorial of which is my favourite sector of design but the magazines content also pertained to the music industry, another great interest of mine.

Throughout this year interaction with Alec regarding the topic and more specifically questions regarding where I should start with the magazine, what do I need to do for the magazine to gain notoriety and more questions such as how I should go about starting the magazine I have gradually become more and more certain that this idea for a magazine is something that I will pressure in the near future. Most probably as a self-directed project along side working in the studio. The talks with Alec regarding the topic have helped me to understand different aspects regarding costings, promotion and content to the extent where the actual creation of the magazine feels comprehendible and more importantly achievable.

OUGD602 - PPP - Industry Interaction - Hungry Sandwich Club

The first instance of industry interaction that will guide me through PPP and further develop my understanding and knowledge as a graphic designer and creative thinker involved a series of conversations through email, linked and Skype with the design studio; Hungry Sandwich Club. Hungry Sandwich Club are a small studio that was set up by two alumni of Leeds College of Art and more specifically alumni of my course, Graphic Design.

Due to the fact that it is a plan of mine in the future to open my own studio with someone from the course (Tom Hodkin) and see if we can build a studio from the bottom the conversations with Hungry Sandwich Club offered a vital insight in to different aspects of which could affect the journey along the way. This vitality of information based of the fact that they, like me graduated from the exact same course and were in the same position I am in now. Throughout the conversations a number of questions were forwarded to the Hungry Sandwich Club by me regarding starting a new studio such as 'Where did you operate your first studio space from?', 'How long did it take until it started to become economically viable?' and 'How did you manage to source your first client/work?' to which they answered attentively and whole heartedly.

These question allowed me to gain an understanding of what troubles and hurdles could be found along the way and more importantly offered an insight in to how these hurdles can be overcome and how outlined goals could be achieved. This provided me with a lot of vital knowledge of which I could take forward into a real life application if the opportunity to start a studio does arise.

OUGD602 - PPP - Self Branding - Website

Due to the fact that my self branding was already 100% complete in advance of the completion of this PPP3 module the decision was made that instead the main component that I will construct and create will be my personal designer website of which will act as my main component of industry contact and will offer the way 
in which my portfolio can be displayed creatively and the ability to for anyone to contact me regarding professional work will be housed.

My final portfolio website was completely crated by me through he use of Adobe Muse as the construction program. The website was designed in a simple modular grid that enabled the design to stay organised and structured while perfectly fitting its purpose. The website was created with the objective of achieving responsive design in order to ensure that it remains as professional as possible in application while working through a wide range of different digital formats.

OUGD602 - PPP - Self Branding

Due to the fact that my self branding including the logomark, typography and colour choices were remaining unchanged from the previous level of my education (Level 5) I will still present it here and use the completed branding as the commencement point of the third year of my personal and professional process.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Presentation Feedback

Overall, the presentation went extremely well, the guys at DBA enjoyed it and also provided some really beneficial feedback in regards to our product and the way it was presented.

The feedback in brief form:

• Overall the design treatment was well justified
• Straight to the point, no messing about, they're drugs and they're marketed as such
• There was a split divide as to whether this was the best route to go down
• Really loved the honesty of the product
• Felt like there was a certain sense of creativity trying to escape from the modernist/swiss execution style
• They thought the presentation was professionally put forward and they enjoyed looking at the various animations

Personally the complete experience has been one from which I developed massively as it offered us a lot of vital experience regarding a brief that we have never had the opportunity to have such as working with industry professionals and having to pitch the whole process through a presentation at the end.

This is crucial as it is a replication of how the real graphic design industry work and so this provided us with experience regarding this topic.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Final Presentation

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Promotional Material Design

To culminate the complete design process for this design brief the final stage was to create a range of promotional material that would be used along side the advertising campaign to help the company succeed. We identified two crucial elements of which would be needed. The first of these elements is the necessity to have a promotional loyalty care of which would help to create reoccurring commerce from consumers and appropriately links to a target demographic as students and young professionals like to save money.

The final aspect was to create the design for a simple T-shirt that could be worn by employees when representing the company. We found the need for this intrinsic due to that fact that our brand revolves around ensuring consumers know exactly what products that they are consuming and so this staff uniform would allow the company to look as professional as possible while supporting out company value of being there and helping the customer to understand what they are buying.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Campaign Design

For the avertisational material of the brand identity we decided to create small campaign of which could be rolled out across a number of different application raging from 6 sheet display cases to 48 sheet billboards.

The campaign was created in a way that aims to fully convey the nature of the products and the identity of the company overall contextually. To further reinforce the linear notion of taking the products as a set the individual posters were all adorned with the sumber that signifies where to take the product in the process. The colour of these numbers were implemented to create visual consistency between the products and advertising.

The campaign/advertising posters were then finished with a picture of each of the individual products. This was implemented to further reinforce the contextual and conceptual backing of the brand identity. Putting the product right on the forefront of any campaign material, letting the product speak for itself.

Each of the products were finished with the company tag-line of which reads ‘Excel Your..” to mimic the concept and application of the company and finished with a related word to each product ‘Well-Being’, ‘Productivity’ and ‘Confidence’.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Web & Mobile Design

Website

Now the designing of the products was completed the next stage of the design process was to create the remaining aspects of the brand identity for the company, the first of these is the web presence.

The web was designed with a structured a minimalist style in order to further create visual consistency between the products and visual identity of the remained of the brand identity. This minimalist styling and combined with the inclusion of the product photography on the home page of the website was implemented so that the website was coherent with the band ethos and values of brand transparency and informativeness.

Mobile/App

Similarly to the website the mobile/app components of the brand identity were created in the exact same visual styling in order to further reinforce the brand identity through visual and conceptual consistency.

Contrastingly the web feature a much more UX lead exceution in which an additional delivery feature with GPS locational map from which the delivery of products can be tracked. This was added due to an informed choice of how our target demographic would like to receive their products.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Final Packaging

Now that the composition and content of the design had been completed the next decision was the completion of the final packaging. Informed by the decisions made in the earlier stages of the design process the main sales point for the product was a small blister pack pill box with on average half a month of use.

To diversify the product range and appeal to a wider customer market we also designed a label packaging for another additional sales point of which would be appropriate for a bigger bulk buying application.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Box Design

Now that we had completed the brand identity including the new logotype the next stage of the process was to create/design the box packing that the products would be housed within. We experimented with a umber of different treatments of the packaging design of which all had the intention of conveying the nature of the product as efficiently as possible by means of extracting the need for any addition graphic elements.

The competitions ideas were created by combining the logotype with all of the product information. Due to the fact that the products take precedent within out brand identity the ingredients take precedent on the from of the box.

The final packaging design was constructed by typographically organising to a strict modernist style the brand name, ingredients and product name.

Now that the simple packaging design was complete it was applied to our nets created in an earlier part of the design process to construct the final packaging. A small dot of colour was added to each of the products of which would help to identity the different products and have the possibility of use within the latter advertising campaign. Although we had originally decided to rid the design of any additional graphical elements we believed that these worked appropriately due to the fact that they were insignificant enough to not steal attention from the product and still offered a great link between colour theory and the intention of each product. Blue for Sleeping, Orange for Concentration and Green for Well-Being.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Logo Generation

Logo Type

We began the logo development stage by typographically exploring the possibilities of a few variations of the word Excel... and eventually made the decision to use ‘Excelsum’ due to that being the gender neutral form of the word and our products have no gendered ties.

After evaluating a number of the typographic design treatments the decision was made to go with the treatment of which held no aesthetic addition to further reinforce and support the conceptual side to out branding of true clarity. This was resolved by ensuring that the final logo was just a simple well balanced and typographically set logotype with not additional graphic elements

Typeface

Now that the decision had been made to only implement effective and professionally executed typography as the brand identity the next decision was what typeface would the logotype be set in.

We made the decision to use Apercu by the font foundry Colophon due to the fact that its geometric and bold form conveys a sense of not only brans reliability but also conveys an approachable demeanour. Perfectly representing the brand identity. The decision was also made due to aesthetic-al reason that the typeface also well suits use within the Swiss modernist style were pursuing.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Brand Generation

Name

After the first of our critiques with DBA regarding where we were up to with the brief it was obvious that we needed to generate another brand name of which better represents the brand identity and ethos. The decision was made to evaluate the use of a number of Latin translation of appropriate words due to the use of Latin within the world of science.

After trying to rationalise and evaluate a list of Latin terminologies the decision was made to use the work Excelsus with a literal translation of to be elevated/of high rank or reputation. This name was most appropriate due to the fact that it not only was appropriate in literal translation but was also reminiscent of the work to ‘Excel’, to do better in life.

Core Values & Mission 

Statement

To culminate our intentions regarding the brand identity we also outlines a number of core company values that we would abide to along side a mission statement of which would give a description of the products and company. The core values are Trustworthy, Intellectual, Reliable, Authentic, Genuine, Respectable,Honest,Truthful,Educational and Safe.

With a mission statement that reads;

“We strive to provide honest & safe cognitive enhancers. We’re dedicated to going above and beyond to enable you to achieve the highest learning potential possible, as well as ensuring you know exactly what goes into our products.”

OUGD602 - PPP- DBA - Box Net

Due to the fact we had made the decision to market and brand out three products with most simplicity, efficiency and brand transparency it was immediately obvious that to achieve this for the noo-tropic drugs that our products contain the final products must be maintained in a pill/tablet like blister pack and box as this most accurately represents the clinical nature of the products.

In order to be able to have a working and effective pill box we purchased an existing example of a paracetamol box and de-constructed it in order to understand and generate our own box net for use within the later stages of the design process.

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Concept Generation

Off the back of the fact due to the nature of the drugs working effectively within educational/working environments, our products would be most aimed at the student and young professional demographic as these are the main consumers. So because of this we began to identity the different noo-tropic products of which would be appropriate for education.

Due to the fact that we intended to aim the products mostly at students the decision was made to brand the three products inspired by this. The decision was made the three products would be a mix of different noo-tropic substances along with some other substances for stacking. The three product names were BA-BSc, MA & Ph.D. to replicate the different levels of higher education, with each of the products increasing in strength to replicate the nature of education.

Later on the decision was made that specifying on students alone was too small of a target market demographic and instead another name must be chosen. Instead we decided to look at the progress we go through when completing strenuous work to see if this could inform the product. We made the decision that the products would reflect the time-line of working and the product names were Focus, Rejuvenate and Illuminate. These names can be used for individual products or as a set. 

Focus — Aids in completing tasks

Rejuvenate — Rest and recover (Improves sleep and reduces anxiety)

Illuminate — Assists your social abilities and maintains natural energy levels

OUGD602 - PPP - DBA - Soylent Research

Now that there had been an investigation into the means in which products can be branded in order to achieve as much brand transparency as possible, allowing the products and their contents to act as the main focal point of the identity it was now time to look at another brand that impliments this aesthetic styling. With a further look at how this brand identity can be then worked in to a coherent brand campaign.

The next example of research regards the food replacement company; Soylent. Soylent yet again is a company that offer no nonsense natural food replacement bars and shakes who concentrate on conveying the quality of their products over anything else.

The specific look at the soylent is not to inform the brand identity as this had been achieved in the last Huel circumstance. Instead this research is to inform how the product/brand could then be marketed in the latter stages. Soylent use the stark contrast of their products against unhealthy food to act as the motivator within the campaign. This would be a very appropriate tactic for us to implement within our campaign. Setting out as different to the current market competitors. Enabling the customer to make the decision of what to choose influenced by the product itself and not the branding.