17.2.14

YCN: Femfresh: Campaign Development

For the changes that I needed to make with the design, I decided to create a subtle image of an 'every woman' that could appeal to any woman basically. I admire Malika Favre's clever use of negative space, and visual female interpretation, and so I wanted to create the female body from the patterns made for the packaging, a then a curved shape to go either side, making a curvy womanly female body.

This kind of design also made me think of Mad Men, and how women looked elegant because they were curvy. The character Joan made me think of that sassy confidence Femfresh are looking for.


The finished designs:





15.2.14

YCN: Femfresh: Campaign Development

For the campaign, I wanted to use similar imagery such as a weighing scale, temples and birds, and so took some of the shapes from the packaging designs to start to build a campaign, that would take the form of an advert placed in magazines. The idea would be that the entire design would be full bleed, with the central tag line of 'perfect harmony'.

So far the imagery feels to varied, and the weighing scales pose a very big risk of looking like a pair of breasts. The copy for the advert was quite difficult to get right, though the wording feels sensitive to the audience, and the product that is being advertised, without uttering anything to do with the word vagina. The colour way needs to become a bit more delicate but bright at the same time, as the peachy colour is slowly creeping in, risking a dated feel.






14.2.14

YCN: Femfresh: Visual Development

For the visual development, I had the image of harmonic imagery that could be made symmetrical, such as birds, temples, balloons etc. and so I just started creating simple geometric shapes in illustrator to make up the form of a bird. I wanted to keep the pallet limited so that the simplistic design will stand out and show off the product too. This is the packaging for the liners, and then packaging for the body wash, wipes and deodorant will be designed too in addition.




13.2.14

YCN: Femfresh: Design Development

I want the typeface to reflect the harmonic nature of the aesthetics, and feel mature, but contemporary. I used wordmark.it to decide on the font for the job, and have decided to use Chaparral Pro, and also the Bold version to emphasise the core concept of 'Perfect harmony'







12.2.14

YCN: Femfresh: Current Market

After debating with myself wether to do DECC or the Cath Kidston brief, I felt inspired with a concept for Femfresh. I didn't feel excited by any of the 2014 YCN briefs, but I knew I had to do one, and so Femfesh was the concept I felt most confident with, though I felt quite excited when I thought of my idea.

The core statement in the brief was 'convince young women to try Femfresh.' Which would mean that Femfresh wants to appeal to younger women, my age and younger (18-24). I personally feel that the most important aspect to the brief is 'It has a unique pH-balanced formula developed by experts to care for and look after intimate skin.' And this statement sparked a creative concept.

I thought perhaps looking at the 'ph' part of ph balanced could be made into the anacraynim 'perfect harmony', and that everything could be made visually symmetrical, to subtly communicate Femfresh as a product that would give a woman biological harmony.

The problem I have is that I have thought of a concept that I feel relatively confident to run with before researching into any of the current identity, campaigns, and previous ones, and what public opinion is. So I need to have a look at this:













My first reaction is that this is more than horrible. This advert is so boring and YAWN I just fell asleep. Even the hot pink colour didn't wake me up. The words 'wipes deodorant liners' turn me away from the product too, because of the association with them.












The problem that I think Femfresh have, especially being in the age range they wish to appeal within this brief, is that this looks like Bonmarche designed it, old, faded pink colour and dated aesthetic ensures that an older audience will inevitably buy into the Femfresh brand.

I personally feel that they have it so wrong, for so many reasons. This particular advert feels far too try hard, and ironically, by changing the word 'vagina' to 'froo froo' they have pointed directly to the word 'vagina'... The pink colour of the tag line 'love it' in hot pink is stereotypically female, though probably does not appeal to a younger audience, simply because it tries to appeal to a younger audience. All of these oxymorons are moronic, and the brand here does not understand neither appeal to younger or older women.

And finally, a young 18 year women jumping with glee doesn't solve the design problem, just hints at an exaggerated emotion that is not remotely realistic. Isn't the point that a woman shouldn't have to think about it? In the brief they state that women shouldn't feel embarrassed about using it, but by using any kind of word or euphemism suggesting 'vagina' will definitely make anyone think of an unclean body part.



















The current packaging feels again very dated. The faded peach colour personally reminds me of 1980's interior decor for the toilet, which is the opposite of how the brand should want to look. The campaign could integrate how the packaging could be re-designed, giving everything a new look and tone.

My brief

Although I know the brief asks for the work to appeal to an 18-24 age range, I have decided to design the range of products for a slightly older age margin, 21-30. I feel that this age range of young women will rule out the majority of students and fresh out of school teenagers that will not start buying extra products for themselves in terms of hygiene until they get a bit older, and perhaps start dating properly and working full time.

The tone of voice and aesthetics will point to the Femfresh products being formulated for the female intimate area, but will not obviously point it out. No where will there be the word 'vagina' or any other words used to describe it. Instead, there will be a harmonic set of vector illustrations that will tell the audience all they need to know about the product; and that the product will create a perfect harmony in the intimate female area. Fresh brighter colours will be used so the branding will feel harmonic to look at, and won't make the branding look too old, neither too try hard.

Overall, I have the desire to make the brand understand women, and to respect that women are adults that care about their personal hygiene. This is the most important and difficult factor, due to the mistakes that the brand has previously and is currently making. It risks appealing to older women that 'need this product' or older teenagers, that the brand 'desperately tries to appeal to but fails'.

They want the brand to feel 'Sassy, confident, clever, credible', and I feel that this is what I will achieve.

7.2.14

Secret 7": Inspiration

Influences.

Paul Rand.



























Hvass & Hannibal.




Secret 7": Massive Attack

Massive Attack is a trip hop act, and their existing album cover artwork is conceptual, imaginative and sometimes odd. I was attracted to design for the them because I already like and listen to their music. Karmacoma is not a favoured song, but I felt that I would have a chance of designing for the act in general, taking inspiration from their past and present aesthetics, and style of sound.




3.2.14

Cabin Fever: Content Thoughts

This magazine has replaced the original brief 'Fridge Magazine', and although some of the content will talk about food, Cabin Fever magazine will be an overall lifestyle magazine, that talks about subjects such as the emotive value of going into the outdoors, camping cuisine, cabins, van life, romanticising the outdoors, rustic living and much more. I will work with contributors that go outdoors and enjoy travel and living basically, that can write articles and offer an interesting point of view on the topics I have researched. As this magazine is an ongoing research project, there have been some interesting new topics that have arisen:

The emotive value of outdoors pursuits
Cabins and isolated living
Sustainable living
Small living spaces
Van life, and 'dirt bagging'
Patagonia becoming a 'trend brand'
The new trend for paying to stay in a treehouse
Escapism
Cabin must haves
Camping food
A guide to reclaiming materials to furnish your home
Solutions for young people struggling to afford to buy a property such as flatpack homes
Travel photography
The trend for the content of this magazine, why do people want to go back to basics?

I find all of the topics really interesting, and they mostly effect me personally. I enjoy outdoor pursuits, and it seems that many young twenty somethings also enjoy just getting away from daily life, and pursuing travel ambitions, walking, isolation, van life, road tripping and more. There is also another prevalent trend for retro style cooking, interior design, coffee drinking and even dressing, with thanks to other publications such as Kinfolk, Cereal and more.