ALICE REITER | PORTFOLIO
Contents
1
Branding
2
Environmental Design
3
Transformation Design
4
Marketing Strategy & Analysis
5
Layout & Typography
6
Advertising
7
Branding
8
Package Design
9
Web Design
10
Christamore House
Christamore House
Eco•Logic
Spotlight On Stars
Sequential Narrative
LunchIn
RainSport
Alicia Beauty
Moi–Même
Print Indianapolis City Ballet
Branding
client:
Christamore House
Christamore House is a community center in the Haughville neighborhood of Indianapolis that I collaborated with on a team of design students. Our research revealed that while Christamore House offers an abundance of programs, services, and events (everything from a senior Valentine dance, to a full service preschool, to assistance with paying bills and getting a GED) their communication materials were inconsistent and unfocused. After digging deeper, we found that instead of being embraced as a community center, Christamore House was seen by Haughville residents with a stigma attached of being a “hand-out” and residents waited to seek the organization’s help until in crisis. This not only strained Christamore House’s resources, but it furthered the impression that it was a crisis center and not a community center. Our team set out to spread the truth about Christamore House with our “Pass It On” campaign. We also generated the brand essence, “A place to thrive”. The campaign included posters for the interior, “Pass It On” cards to be used as viral marketing and collectibles, a set of brochures that streamlined and showcased all that Christamore offers, and website redesign. The following summer we organized volunteers to paint the interiors and landscape as well.
Christamore House is a community center, a place to thrive — not a crisis center.
“Pass It On” cards, a multi-purpose marketing tool. The back features a success story from one of Christamore House’s clients, an inspirational quotation, as well as information on one of the programs and services offered by Christamore House. Each card also has blank lines to be filled in as business cards and appointment cards. The concept is to literally pass on the cards as trading card to spread the word in the community. The use as business cards saves Christamore House on printing costs since they can be customized instead of ordering new cards each time a new staff member is hired.
Branding
Set of 22� x 34� posters to hang in the interior and create an inviting atmosphere while carrying the look and message of the campaign.
ENvironmental Design
client:
Christamore House
Christamore House sought repositioning and increased visibility in the community to help increase the use of their services by residents and appeal to potential community partnerships. With a team of design students from Exhibition Design class, I help to create outdoor environmental graphics to promote their “Step Up” campaign. Our greatest advantage in this project was that we had a lot of previous knowledge and experience with the client since we had worked with them on a previous project. We collaborated with Christamore House administrators and Exhibit House in Indianapolis to bring the vision, goals, and values of the organization to the public.
18’ x 3.75’ one-sided banners to hang on the central facade
Top: Rendering of the main view of the building with banners and graphics panels installed. Right: sample 7’ x 4’ outdoor graphics panels for the front yard. Far right: Rendering of 2’ x 8’ two-sided banners for the south wing.
Transformation Design
team:
Eco•Logic For one semester, I worked as part of the seven student team, Eco•logic, to frame a problem and find a solution. The semester included research, ideation, prototyping, and implementation phases. We chose to focus on reducing waste at the IUPUI campus center food court because it is an environment that eliminated some of the top reasons for why people don’t recycle: inconvenience, cost, time spent sorting, and messiness. In addition to looking at existing research, we collected data through observation, video, interviews, and visits to relevant sites such as the local landfill. We collected ethnographic data with a kit including a survey, recording booklet, camera for a photo diary, and a collage activity. Even though people had generally positive feelings towards and impressions of recycling, their behavior (at least at our campus center) did not reflect this. We threw an ideation party in the campus center to talk about the problem and generate ideas. Among the guests were student and faculty users of the campus center food court, directors of local organizations such as Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Common Theme, and Ray’s Trash Services, and campus facilities, operations, and marketing directors. It was
clear to everyone that the waste management sys-
encourage students to use the kit. If this idea was
regarding whether or not an item is recyclable, and
tem in use was inconsistent, confusing, and favored
adopted with 100% success, the reduction of waste
if so, what it is made of. After discussing our ideas
the use of trash cans. In addition to the ideas we
produced and materials used would be immense.
with campus front-end deliverers, we dropped the
reaped from the ideation session, we continued to
After another round of research, we used sketch-
tagging part because it would increase labor and
diverge as a team afterward.
ing, modeling, and user testing to quickly generate
would likely be vetoed by operations management
In the next phase, we split into three mini teams
many low fidelity prototypes of the Eco•kit. Before
and possibly threaten implementation of the entire
to commence rapid prototyping of our three best
moving on to the next phase, our team shared and
project.
ideas. The three ideas we converged on were: a
evaluated all of our outcomes. We needed the
After another round of diverging and prototyping
waste/tagging system, a portable re-usable meal kit
help of a decision matrix, but we agreed to move
on the waste system idea, we conducted user test-
called the Eco•kit, and an interactive, informative
forward with the waste/tagging system. This idea
ing and built a high fidelity prototype of the most
art installation. I worked on the Eco•kit prototype
involved a redesign of the waste and recycling
successful concept, which we named the Eco•pod.
team with the goal of creating a kit that contained
containers to create consistency and clarity in a
The final implementation package included all
sustainable multi-purpose containers and utensils
system that currently lacks both. It also included
the necessary files for signage, technical drawings
to be distributed to all students and staff with the
a system where each material would be marked
created for us by an engineering student, and a
goal to eliminate the need for disposable utensils
with a symbol that corresponded to the appropri-
booklet of our major findings, process, contacts,
and food containers in the campus center food
ate bin for its disposal. The tagging was intended
and steps for fabrication and implementation.
court. An incentive such as a meal discount would
to eliminate the confusion many users experience
right: Eco•pod Implementation kit; opposite: Final Eco•pod prototype with signage in the campus center food court.
Transformation Design
EDUCATION
confusion about what is being collected
Inconvenience is the number one reason why people say they don’t recycle. top left: Amount of material thrown out by IUPUI students as our observations are projected on the entire student body; top right: Repeated themes and issues gathered in our ideation session; above: Screen capture from our observation video to record behavior over a 2 hour period.
Rapid prototyping allowed us to quickly test ideas and build on them as a team.
left: Selected Eco•kit rapid prototyping models; center: Waste system prototype with signage; right: Later version of waste system functionality prototype showing model using a tray rail and foot pedal
Marketing Strategy & Analysis
client:
Spotlight On Stars Spotlight On Stars is a local small business that I studied for one full semester through the lens of a designer to identify opportunities and develop a strategic plan. The organization is a family-owned dance studio that offers a wide range of classes for ages toddler to adult. Through observation and interviews, I discovered the owner was facing many obstacles and having difficulty fulfilling her business vision. She deeply wanted to expand her audience to include more male students, special needs students, and to retain older students. At the time, she had no male students at all and her oldest student was eleven years old. The majority of enrolled students were girls aged three to eight. Additionally, enrollment as a whole was much lower than ideal. Financial problems were easy to see, but I discovered that they were only a symptom of other deeper issues. With the owner and on my own, I used numerous idea generating and problem solving tools such as mind mapping, SWOT analysis, perceptual mapping, brand prism, and brand mind space.
Looking for relationships and patterns helps to get to the core underlying issues. I also performed ethnographic research by creating an audience landscape with interviews, photos, and questionnaires for the prospective and current audiences. Throughout the course of the semester, some of the outcomes of my work were an executive overview presentation, a short motion piece targeted to the owner, and finally the process book which documented all of the research, conclusions, and recommendations I developed. The outcome of these tools lead me to my conclusions about the current situation and recommendations for the future of Spotlight On Stars. I proposed two options. Summarized, the first option was to change the vision and embrace the current audience. The second option entailed making fundamental changes to the business that would expand the audience and fulfill the current vision.
right: Selections from the final process book; opposite: Cover page of the process book
Marketing Strategy & Analysis
left: Selections from the final process book; above: SWOT analysis
above: Present and future continua and perceptual maps; left: Moodboard for Spotlight On Stars
Layout & T ypography
focus:
Sequential Narrative The goal of this project was to curate approximately 3000 words of content and parse it into a sequential narrative. The overall topic was “food systems� and I choose to narrow it down to the topic of seeds, genetically modified seeds, and intellectual property rights. The final book was 48 pages, perfect bound. The informational content was based on my research from newspapers, journals, magazines, and books. It was punctuated by relevant selections from fiction novels and poems. Both types of content contributed to the overall topic and juxtaposed logical and emotional content for the reader.
Advertising
client:
LunchIn LunchIn creates customized gourmet meals for home delivery. The target audience is active seniors. It was important not to equate LunchIn with Meals On Wheels or other similar services that offer bland, industrial kitchen food. LunchIn is different because it offers more exotic and varied culinary options that are prepared by distinguished chefs. The LunchIn man or woman does not have time to prepare meals because he or she is busy enjoying retirement. A typical day might include a walk with friends, volunteering, visiting the grandchildren, housework, and a movie. They have lived the good life and are not giving it up any time soon. I felt that this woman in her floral swimsuit and (digitally re-colored) hot pink swim cap depicted a senior who lives an active life and refuses to pass her days in an easy chair eating bland food. Phases of this project included extensive brainstorming on taglines and concept sketching. The challenge was to target the audience (active seniors) without making generalizations visually or verbally about seniors. Audience research played a huge role in this. The project also had both a distance viewing and a handheld piece which had to be designed appropriately.
above: Distance viewing piece; top right: Distance piece in context as a bus shelter poster; bottom right: Handheld viewing piece, a place mat
Branding
client:
RainSport RainSport is a company that makes reversible, inexpensive raincoats that stow away in a pouch. The product is called Fun Coats. The target audience is visitors to Indianapolis during the spring and summer when the region often experiences rainy weather. Fun Coats are different from the competition, Totes ponchos, in that they are less expensive, have a full-zip design, and decorative patterns that can reverse to a solid color. The project focus was on the identity of RainSport. I chose to use bright graphic elements with a digital twist. The moodboard and logo use a play on half tone screen dots to represent raindrops with a modern technology slant. The patterns of the Fun Coats have been created using the patterns of street maps and aerial views of Indianapolis. This creats interesting abstract colorful designs that can appeal to children and male and female adults universally.
far left: Rainsport moodboard; leftt: RainSport logo; below: RainSport reversible Fun Coats pattern design
Package Design
client:
Alicia Beauty During my 2010 summer internship at ELement Three, I worked with one of their inhouse designers to create the packaging for a new product line for their client, Alicia Beauty. Alicia Beauty is an innovative, trend setting leader of hair products, designed especially for AfricanAmerican women. Their hair products include wigs, weave, braids and hair extensions including human hair and synthetic hair. The product line, “Pure Kharma”, was introduced in Fall 2010 as a higher end product to go with their “Elements” line of hair products. For this project, I began with extensive research including visits to local braiding salons and viewing documentaries about the market and consumer. The audience is a young, strong, fashion-savvy, woman. The package needed to reflect her modern, sexy sensibilty and reference the origin of the hair, which comes from Indian temples. The box was printed with purple and metallic silver ink.
top left: Inner box which folds like a tray and slides into the outer box sleeve; above: Spread from an Alicia Beauty marketing booklet featuring the Pure Kharma package; below from left: Outer box which folds like a sleeve, inside long insert front and back with a flap that folds down and holds the hair, and belly band that folds around the wrapped hair
Web Design
client:
Moi–Même In summer 2009, I took an internship with Moi– Même to help redesign their shirts home page. Moi–Même is a small business that creates customtailored suits, dress shirts, and dresses for women. At the time, shirts were the only garment that could be ordered online with the client providing her own measurements. All other garments must be measured by the seamstress in the Moi–Même showroom. This means the shirts business is very important. After the appropriate brand and client research, I worked with the owner to develop a shirts home page include illustrations for the ordering process and a shirts details diagram. In addition, I took the time to teach myself enough HTML and CSS to build the necessary pages. Part of this education included learning enough about search engine optimization and e-commerce to adequately meet Moi–Même’s needs.
top left: Product image of Cairo Double Button shirt; top right: Vector icons of the ordering process; bottom left: Product information boxes; bottom right: Shirts details page with illustration
client:
Indianapolis City Ballet I worked with the non-profit, Indianapolis City Ballet, to create a piece that reflected their events for the coming year for their 2011 general brochure. I had first worked with the organization as part of a class where I designed an invitation for a photography exhibit they sponsored. This brochure needed to have some of the elegance associated with ballet, but also a hint of boldness that would attract a wider audience. That means no tutus, or imagery that might turn off an audience that is not already comfortable with ballet. I presented several concepts and they selected this one with its simple bold color blocking and emphasis on the images. For the cover, I used a variation on their logo that was more elegant and refined. The events include an audition, two gala performances, and the Youth America Grand Prix which they sponsored in February. THe brochure was printed 4/4 with a gloss aqueous coating on 100# silk paper.
top left: Inside spread half open; bottom left: Inside spread fully open; above: Full back spread and folded brochure showing cover
client:
Indianapolis City Ballet As part of Professional Practice class an invitation and RSVP card were designed for an exhibition of the photography of Roy Round. The exhibition was sponsored by the non-profit, Indianapolis City Ballet. Roy Round is a well known photographer whose favorite subject was ballet dancers. Part of my enjoyment in this project came from my own personal interest and experience in ballet. This gave me an intuitive understanding of the beauty, elegance, and artistry that the invitation needed to portray. To give the invitation a sophisticated look without straining the budget, I designed a six page folded card print 2/2 in black and silver ink. The invitation includes a sample of photographs that appeared in the exhibition, a brief biography of Round, and a personal photograph of Round with his wife, a former dancer. On of the challenges of this piece was fitting all the content the client needed to include, while still allowing enough space for the piece to keep the elevated look that goes with the event’s $500 ticket cost. I achieved this by using a six page card instead of four. Simplicity was also maintained by using only two colors. The naming of the exhibition was also part of the project. “Captured: Expression” was chosen during a class brainstorming session which I led.
top from left: close ups of the the RSVP, invitation, and another RSVP view; left: Invitation folded showing the front cover and printed envelope; below: Invitation opened to show front side
Thank You!
For more information or to contact the designer, please visit alicereiterdesign.com or email d.alice.reiter@gmail.com