OUGD603 - Brief 4 - Offcut Visual Identity - Development - Packaging

Packaging Development 

For the envelope / box it was considered that just the logotype and brand shapes could be used within the design as this would have to be printed onto boxes. 

Making a feature out of the shapes by making them large and using the envelope as a frame created a strong and bold design.

Making the line width a similar thickness to the logotype stroke width brought the two elements together well.

Extending the shape over the edges of the envelope or box would allow the shape to then wrap around onto the other sides of the box creating a more all over design.

It was considered rather than creating a custom box or envelope for the brand which would potentially be expensive for a start up, designs could be created as a way of customising existing sourced packaging. 

Create a sticker design or stamp to use on the box / for wrapping up items within the box would be a simple but effect, cost conscious way of making the packaging fit the brands visual identity.

Both brown cardboard and white cardboard boxes could be used as these both have a different texture / material aesthetic to them reflect the materials and textures used within the rest of the branding. Cardboard envelopes, similar to that of Amazons packaging for books could be used for small orders of sheet material as these are strong but also thin making them cost effective for posting.

Using the same elements from the previous designs (logotype and shapes) these were placed in a frame to create a rectangular sticker / stamp shape.

 Placing the logotype so that the right hand side of it was flush either against the edge of the box or the side of the shape within the sticker created a more balanced design.

Placing the logotype within the brand shapes created a simple but bold design.

Aligning the text so that the right hand side of the logotype was flush with the edge of the shape was most effective.

Using a bold outline matched with the thickness of the strokes in the logotype, however the design was also effective in reverse with the sticker filled in black and the logotype in white.

- Theses stickers could be printed in black and white however they may also be effective printed onto clear sticker paper as any white areas will allow the texture of the surface they are applied to (e.g. the box or packaging materials) to show through. This would allow the textures of the materials used within the packaging to them become part of the design in a similar way to the digital aspects. 

The sticker designs could be printed in the different colours from the colour scheme. Alternatively a stamp could be created with similar coloured inks used to print the design on different surfaces e.g. boxes 

Packing slip / Thank you 

Using the shapes cut off from the logotype it was thought that these could be used as the thank you / information slip that goes out with each order.

Potentially the design could be printed onto different scrap materials to fit with the use of textures within the rest of the branding and continue the idea of reuse which offcut stands for. Similarly the designs could be printed onto papers using the brand colours to be in keeping with the colour scheme within the branding. 

The slips could be printed in batches then torn to create the idea of a scrap or offcut. Cutting a border around the outline of the shape would emphasise the shape of the offcut and perhaps be more reflective of a clean cut offcut and fit with the geometric cut used within the branding. Alternatively only the logotype could be printed onto the paper which would then be cut to the shape of the branding shapes. 

- Designs could be printed onto found papers to reflect the idea of reuse, this would also mean the packing slips would be new each time reflecting the variety of materials on offer.

- The designs could also be printed onto papers that are part of the brand colour scheme

- Having an all black design would stand out on most materials. Printing only one colour in a minimal design would also have minimal environmental impact when compared to printing the specific colours from the colour scheme onto paper.

- For headings and key information within the branding Dunbar Tall Bold would be used to create continuation from the logotype. Originally the body typeface for the brand was going to be the light version of Dunbar Tall however when printed the typeface was perhaps a little too quirky for a body type and was less legible for passages of text.

- Dunbar Text was tried which was more legible for longer passages of text however there was perhaps less contrast between this and Dunbar Bold 

- Futura PT was used as this had similar letterforms to that of Dunbar Tall and maintained a geometric feel to the design, whilst contrasting against the heading typeface and being legible.