ALENKA GOMBOC

FDA YEAR 1

Project 1:
“Confidence Booster”
package design

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 ALENKA GOMBOC
FDA YEAR 1

1. UNDERSTANDING THE BRIEF

First I read through the brief and then

read it a few more times to understand
it thoroughly.

TARGET AUDIENCE: Style conscious

20-30 year olds
CLIENT: Supermarket Chain
MESSAGE: Be more confident

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2.GENERAL BRAINSTORMING

I went through the process

workshop for my client, message
and audience. I came up with
numerous solutions, concepts
and ideas. That was a good way
to clear my mind of all the floating
thoughts wanting to get down on
the paper.

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FDA YEAR 1

3.CLIENT RESEARCH:
SUPERMARKET CHAINS

First step into research was to investigate the

existing supermarket chains.
There are vast differences between them,
ranging from ones being very simple, tacky
and unstylish to others being exactly the
opposite.

I have focused on a few

categories during the
research:
colour coding, typography,
environmental impact, target
audience, communication
to their audience, how
involved are they in the
local community, how do
their loyalty cards work (if
they have any), levels of
sophistication and
staff behavior.

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4.TARGET AUDIENCE
VISUAL MATERIAL RESEARCH
Visual style: very colourful, urban, graffiti
like, collages and juxtaposition, illustration,
screen printing grungy effects mixed with
iconic/retro images.

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5. TARGET AUDIENCE LIFESTYLE RESEARCH

To identify my audience I went out

to discover the places they socialize
at, things they consume and things
they enjoy.

Areas they live in: trendy London

such as Bricklane, Shoreditch, Angel
and Dalston.

Interests: fashion, art, politics,

music, partying, anything unusual
and funky.

Professions: media

Type of communication: writing

things in different ways. Example:
musiq instead of music or noiz
instead of noise etc.
Consequence of today’s text
message communication
generation. “Me to you” - more
personal.

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6.MESSAGE RESEARCH

What makes you feel confident?

Definition of the word “confidence”
Thesaurus, Dictionary and Wikipedia to find out about
generally accepted facts.

Survey amongst 20-30 year old style conscious people.

Question/Task: What makes you feel confident, connect
that emotion to a colour and a shape.

Here are a few results. A lot of

blue, a bit of red and mostly round
shapes.
Colour psychology : “Blue is
non-threatening, yet confident
and stable. Many police uniforms
are blue because the color says
confidence and security, while
being non-threatening.”
A lot of answers were about frien-
ship, inner silence, looking fit and
funny enough, alcohol.
Facts which confirmed or omitted
my speculations.

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7.IDEAS GENERATION
Initial ideas:
- packaging for nutritional products as
young people care a lot about their
appearance and they want a quick fix,
- packaging for detox drink as they
party a lot,
- packaging for pre prepared meals to
make up for your bad eating habits,
- tokens to collect and get free gym,
- “get involved” concept where people
get the work placement in the
creative areas of the supermarket, only
available to locals. Imagine supermarket
as an exhibition place.

After all this brainstorming I went back

to simple and direct messages and came
up with a decision to create a packaging
for alcohol. The idea is a bit of a joke as
everyone knows alcohol does not
really make you confident but it has a
similar, short term effect (only if you get it
right).

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FDA YEAR 1

8.PACKAGING MARKET
RESEARCH

The alcohol industry is a very lucrative

business with enough money to spare
to invest into remarkable packaging
that differentiates the product from
others on the market.
I selected a few that stood out
because of their good/unusual design.
A lot of them were based upon old
medicine bottles which has given me
a subject of my next research.

I have also checked a few other packaging designs

that would potentially target my audience -
lots of bright colours, screen printing effect, playful
designs and illustrative, hand written type.

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9.VINTAGE BOTTLES/
LABELS/TYPEFACES
RESEARCH
A few examples of old medicine
bottles. I decided to remake a few old
labels.

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10.PROTOTYPE TESTS

A few examples of re-made medicine labels.

I quickly established that there is something
missing. As the bottles on the left seemed
without the real “wow factor” I started
thinking of possible solutions.
“Should I rather use a very recognisable beer
bottle and attach the old medicine sticker to
it? This would play around with expectations.
It didn’t work either.

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11.EXPERIMENTATION

Referring back to my target audience I
re-evaluated the research and came up with a
few new solutions. I tried out something more
vibrant, youthful and funky. Here are a few
examples of my handwritten text using bold
and lively colours.
Q: Where does the old medicine bottle effect
come in?
A: Screen printing could give it an old, used
look in contrast with bright modern colours.

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12. MORE PROTOTYPE TESTS They have become more appropriate for my target audience.

Q: How far can I go with the differences amongst them? Do

1. typefaces/bottles really need to be the same or can just a style
tie them together?

3.

ultimate
bubbly
original

bubbly original
the ultimate

a pleasant tonic and a pleasant tonic and a pleasant tonic and

invigorator invigorator invigorator

2. the ultimate
bubbly
original

a pleasant tonic and a pleasant tonic and

invigorator a pleasant tonic and
invigorator invigorator

4.

the ultimate
bubbly magic

The ultimate confidence

A Pleasant Tonic and A Pleasant Tonic and
solution Invigorator Invigorator

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13. SCREEN PRINTING/GETTING DIRTY

I knew what I wanted to get out of the process - the

worn out effect that would be reminiscent of those
old medicine labels. To my luck, the labels came out
just as I wanted. I later scanned them in and edited in
Photoshop.

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15.RESULTS
2ND VERSION

After more research I have

This was a first version of Confidence
Booster but I have decided to
expriment a bit further.
designed more shapes of labels
and screen printed them. I have
also investigated different shapes
of bottles.

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FINAL RESULTS

I have decided to add an extra old

medicine/potion feel by replacing
the plastic lid for a cork. I soaked
the cork in black tea to make it look
darker and older.

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T-SHIRT
My target audience just loves T-shirts. The
funnier, the more provocative, the better.
I brainstormed the ideas people have in their
mind when they consume a bit of alcohol and
obviously when they drink my Confidence
Booster. I came up with a few and the one
I have decided to print was “I’m so damn
great” thanx to Confidence Booster. There
might be more to come!

My friend being “So damn great” after

consuming Confidence Booster.

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