PEM / S19
Project

Product Packaging

Select an existing product which comes in different sizes, re-imagine its brand and create packaging.

5 weeks / Group project (2-3 people)

Process

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Step 1. Warm Up / A Box

Select a simple folding box, and recreate it perfectly in the same size and with the same material. Emphasis is on the word ‘perfectly’. You will be asked to try again and again until you make it perfectly.

Bring your box to the next class (Week 2) for a cross-section review and discussion.

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Step 2. Making Project Teams Based on a Product Category

Through debriefing and brainstorming, students will form four to five groups based on product categorys. The product category should be large and culturally rich, and the product should come in different sizes (like pasta). Each member should select a different product from the same product category.

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Step 3. Observation

Go to a store and observe how people choose a product in the category you’re working on. Consider why people choose a particular product over others. Create several personas and a customer journey map; consider where and how the journey starts and end.

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Step 4. Ideation: Re-imagine The Brand

Thoroughly research and analyze the brand. Identify its strength, weakness, threats and opportunity. Completely re-imagine the brand, and redefine its essences. Create a brand story.

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Step 5. Prototyping: Moodboards and Typographic Identity

Visualize the brand essence in mood boards. Then design a typographic brand identity. Create at least 5 different design options.

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Step 6. Designing Experience

Create a design system with the brand identity, then design prototypes for packaging and applications such as POP (Point Of Purchase) display, advertising campaign, landing page and so on based on the customer journey map. Create at least 5 different design options for the packaging. Select the best design and create a mockup. Pay extra attention to the materials you will use.

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Step 7. Test

To be discussed.

Project Group

Schedule

Week 1 (Jan. 24) Step 1–2

Debriefing and brainstorming. Form four to five project teams based on product categories. Conduct a field observation research, and create a customer journey map. Select a folding box and perfectly recreate it.

Week 2 (Jan. 31) Step 3

Review the folding boxes in a cross-section review. Discuss field observation research and customer journey map in a group.

Week 3 (Feb. 7) Step 4

Discuss revised customer journey map, the brand story, and moodboards in a group. Present the best ideas to the class.

Week 4 (Feb. 14) Step 5–6

Present Moodboards, Identity designs, and packaging prototypes.

Week 5 (Feb. 21) Step 7

Final Presentation

Opportunities

• Scale