BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The brief was simple: Panamax wanted to launch their brand of paracetamol products in the UK for the first time. They needed a new image, a target audience, and to establish a market position. Their new identity needed to be contemporary, but not alienating. This would be applied across a range of newly designed packaging and promotional artwork, therefore it had to be recognisable on the side of a building and on the side of a pen. Additionally, they wanted a line of packaging developed that would capture the attention of the new target audience.
WHO’S THE TARGET AUDIENCE?
They are bus commuters who work during the week and socialise with friends during the evenings and weekends. They are in touch with the latest technology and use the social networking sites. They go to pubs and clubs and drink regularly. They like going out but don’t enjoy the experience after. They drink responsibly but will throw caution to the wind every now again.
WHAT’S THE CONCEPT?
The concept is ‘Panamax: the only hangover cure you will need’. This product will act as something that is bought on inpulse. That means that it will become part of their everyday lives and will be a regular purchase.
The brief was initially with the intention of developing a brand identity and producing a range of packaging solutions for the new identity to feature on. However, this proved not to be my focus when exploring where the brief and could be taken in to open up it’s scope for development. It was soon decided to focus on
typography and layout and use packaging as a format to deliver the ideas, instead of crafting intricate packaging solutions. Once the focus shifted, the concept could be used to deliver meaningful resolutions appropriate to the target audience.
THE RESEARCH PRIMARY
SECONDARY
Researching for this product was a difficult task as this was to be a new product. Most of the research proved to be secondary apart from the packaging that was collected to inform my design direction. The visual research supplied a wide variety to take ideas from and use to inform the design decisions made.
The work for this brief was heavily influenced by the Swiss graphic design movement of the 1950’s. It informed much of the typographic and layout decisions and its timelessness meant that it was appropriate for an audience of today.
THE DEVELOPMENT
The initial ideas were led towards the reliability of other hangover cures, in this case homemade hangover remedies. The audience is considered as ones who would try just about anything for attention and that is where the content came from. There was little point trying to say this product was different to any other because the audience
would see it as more coroporate rubbish. By putting the ingredients on the pack, it would not only be an open invitation to try the remedy but they will still have the paracetamol tablets when it does not work.
THE FINAL DESIGNS
These final designs went beyond what was initially planned to be the range. It was originally thought that the range would consist of three packs with varied quantities. Each pack would contain 8, 16 or 30 tablets but the focus switched to other products after crit feedback. The project was pushed forward and the hangover pack was
developed to cure heavy hangovers and promote the Panamax brand. Although this created more work in short space of time, the final resolutions did not suffer. These designs were applied across the full range of product packaging and across the various promotional and screen delivery formats.
THE DELIVERY
These show all the products designed working as one. The hangover kit provides a good distribution platform to bolster the sales of the paracetamol product. The other products in the range would not signal the start of a new line, they would be there to purely aid the focus on the panamax brand to show them as user friendly.
The packaging is supported by additional material in the form of a information leaflet come poster which would have a simple side and a detailed side. The important information needed to be on the front and the drier copy would be presented on the back.
THE DISTRIBUTION
The distribution method and screen delivery became one in the same, which is how it was envisaged at the start of the brief. Attention turned towards giving the audience information on how to create their own hangover remedies, and using Panamax to sponsor it.
It proved to be a good way of indirectly advertising the Panamax product as there is the belief that these hangover cures are purely based on myth. The content suited the audience and the application would be well recieved as the majority of these iPhone applications are not to be taken too seriously.