Branding of Toiing

Branding a toy company

Graduation project by Gopikrishnan H Guided by Krishnesh Mehta Sponsored by Camphire, Mumbai

Acknowledgment

My sincere thanks to

Ronit Panchal

Guide

Garima Sharma

Krishnesh Mehta Co-Guide

Jishnuram C A Graphic Design UG batch 2012

Camphire team

Pooja, Dinesh, Ramiz, Ishita, Lakshmi and especially

Shruthi Nayak Neha Rajpura Karthik Talwar Joveena Abreo

I thank my friends Ragesh, Anu, Ashwarya, Gautam, Nandana, who were of great support and help during my documentation phase.

I would like to thank everyone, especially the kids and theirs parents and teachers who extended their support

and other staff members

during my initial phase of study in my project.

Design team at Camphire

All my classmates, seniors and everyone who helped me

Vimal Mishra Rahul Panchal Jessudas Prerna Khedekar Rutuja Kamble Prajakta Baraskar

Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Feedback and support

Rupesh Vyas

Simon Jacob

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Abhidnya Mayekar

in some or the other way in the project. Also, all my friends who helped me in the survey and at other times during the project. And, I would like to thank my parents and brother for giving me all support they have provided throughout my life.

Synopsis

The project undertakes the complete setting up of the brand identity of a new toy company, a new venture of the five year old BTL advertising agency ‘Camphire’. The project sets the primary visual identity of the brand and the visual language for the brand communications.

Camphire, based in Mumbai, is a firm focussed in advertising and marketing. As a part of its attempts to venture into new creative areas, the company has decided to begin a toy company primarily for kids, aspiring to bring up toys in the Indian market in the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) zone. This project is the starting point of the company in terms of its brand identity and visual communications.

The project set the face of the new brand by developing its visual identity. The final deliverables are the logo developed for the brand, proposed primary visual language for brand communications and guidelines for using the necessary visual elements along with the documentation of work processes.

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Study

Contents

• How the document goes ..........................................12

Introduction • About NID ......................................................................16 • Camphire ......................................................................17

• Mind mapping ............................................................30 • Naming the company ...............................................32 • Primary research : Survey ......................................34 • User study: Roadside session with children ............................40 • User study:

• Project Guide ................................................................18

Session with children at shopping mall ............42

• Project Co-guide ..........................................................19

• User persona ...............................................................44

• Camphire team ...........................................................20

• Context study ..............................................................46

• Client brief ....................................................................22

• Case Study ...................................................................48

• Toys in line ...................................................................23

• Playing ..........................................................................52

• Initial project proposal .............................................24

• Study on brand logos ................................................54

• What is Branding? ......................................................26

• Study on other visuals .............................................55 • Colour study ................................................................58 • Colour explorations ..................................................60 • Moodboards to explore colours .............................62 • Design insights ..........................................................66 • Revised project brief .................................................67 • The basic philosophy of the brand set ...............68

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Visual identity Manual Setting the Visual language Visualizing the logo

• Initial exploration .....................................................98 • How could our backgrounds look? .....................104

• Doodles .........................................................................72

• Typography ................................................................106

• Typeface Explorations .............................................76

• Fonts selected for

• Digital Explorations ..................................................78 • Shortlisted options ...................................................84

the headlines and titles .........................................107 • Fonts selected for

• Experimenting the shortlisted logos ..................86

the body copy ............................................................108

• Logo form refinement ..............................................90

• Understanding existing product packages .....110

• Colour finalization .....................................................92

• Refined explorations ...............................................112

• Standard logo colour ................................................93

• Observations made at

• Selected Logo ..............................................................94

the end of explorations ..........................................124

• Black and White .......................................................148 • The Standard formats of the Logo ......................149 • The Clear Zone ..........................................................150 • Various colour combinations ...............................151 • Incorrect Symbol Treatment ................................152 • Typography ................................................................153 • The wave formation ................................................156 • The Standard sizes of the Logo ...........................158 • Stationary Design: Letterhead .............................159 • Stationary Design: Envelope ................................160 • Stationary Design: Business Card .......................161 • Mock ups ....................................................................162

• Moodboards for the brand characteristics ......126 • Final concept options: first option .....................130 • Mock ups explored for the first option .............132

Conclusion

• Final concept options: second option ...............134

• Project Conclusion ..................................................170

• Mock ups explored for the second option .......136

• Reflecting myself .....................................................171

• Final concept refinement ......................................138

• Craftoi ..........................................................................172

• User trial .....................................................................140

• Futuristic ideas ........................................................174

• Refinement ................................................................142

• Bibliography ..............................................................176

• Final concept for the Visual language ..............144

• Webliography ............................................................176 • Index ............................................................................177

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How the document goes

The documentation of this project has been done keeping

project progression, have been explained chronologically.

emphasis on the entire design process. The document

With this, the document tries to compile not just the

entails explaining each phase of the project and the

factual parts of the project but also the whole experience

thought processes carried out while in progress. It begins

of the journey in the branding done. Therefore, it is

with the introduction of the project and then explains the

important for every reader of this document to understand

phase of ‘study’ explaining in detail the study on various

this aspect and the flow and purpose of this document.

aspects for the project. This is followed by ideation and exploration of various concepts and their finalization and

This document is an attempt from the designer to present

refinements. At every stage, the document explains in

his work to the best of its capacity and narrate the project

detail the attempts and processes done and the decisions

with words and images to make itself an experience of

made, with reasons.

story telling, and to also try and communicate the journey in the design process.

The document explains the ideation of the main two components of the brand visual identity, the logo and the visual language. The project focussed on the logo in the first half of the project, followed by the visual language that accompanies it, for the overall branding. The documentation is done in the same order as the processes progressed, even the many to and fro movements, reconsiderations and revisions that happened in the

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Introduction 8

Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

• About NID • Camphire • Project Guide • Project Co-guide • Camphire team • Client brief • Toys in line • Initial project proposal • What is Branding?

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About NID

In 1957 the Government of India requested the Ford

NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education after

Foundation to invite Charles and Ray Eames to visit India.

Bauhaus and Ulm in Germany and is known for its pursuit

The Eames Report defined the underlying spirit that would

of design excellence to make “Designed in India, Made for

lead to the founding of NID and beginning of design

the World” a reality. NID’s graduates have made a mark in

education in India. NID was established in 1961, and has

key sectors of commerce, industry and social development

been a centre for design education, practice and research

by taking role of catalysts and through thought leadership.

since then.

The National Institute of Design (NID) is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research.

The Business Week, USA has listed NID as one of the top 25 European & Asian programmes in the world. The institute functions as an autonomous body under the department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. NID is recognised by the Dept. of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, as a scientific and industrial design research organisation.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Camphire

Camphire is a Mumbai based five year old BTL advertising

design team and many consultants. The firm is setting

agency. They primarily focus in advertising and marketing

up entirely new sub brands under them, propelled by

and theirs works include various kinds of advertisements

independent teams and new members, constantly pushing

and promotional events for various clients. Among its new

the limits and venturing into new areas by giving space for

attempts to venture into new creative areas, and creating

new thoughts and creativity.

a unique stand for themselves, the company has decided to begin a toy brand primarily for kids, aspiring to bring up toys in the Indian market in the Do-It-Yourself zone. The firm currently holds over fifty members with a ten member

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Project Guide

Krishnesh Mehta Since 1995, Krishnesh Mehta has been teaching at NID in the Product Design discipline. He holds a master’s degree in Physics from Gujarat University, a diploma in Space Sciences and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Indira Gandhi National Open University. He underwent the two-year Faculty Development Programme at NID. At NID, Krishnesh teaches Design Management, Retail Merchandising, Multisensory Design, Lighting, Design Science, Technical Studies, Marketing Communication, Strategic Design, Design Research, and Design Mix. Krishnesh’s interests include DSTM Convergence, Immersive Designs and Futuristic Technologies, Design Measurement, MultiSensory Experiential Design, Neurophysiology of Creativity, Leadership and Systems Thinking, 6D Cross Sensory Perceptual and Intuitive User Interfaces (PUI & IUI), Design for Senses and Behaviour, and Conceptual Design.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Project Co-guide

Rupesh Vyas Rupesh Vyas is a Senior Faculty in Communication Design, Activity Chairperson Online Programmes at NID. In recent past he has been Head of Information Technology and Coordinator of Graphic Design. He is taking lead role in developing Information and Interaction Design as emerging domain under Communication Design and IT Integrated Design Disciplines at NID. He is a Board Member of International Institute of Information Design (IIID) which is based in Vienna, Austria. He has Masters degree in Visualization and Under-Graduation in Applied Arts (Graphic Design) from M. S. University of Baroda.

He has 17 years of experience in Communication Design education, research and professional projects. Prior to joining NID in 2002 he was a lecturer at Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University of Baroda.

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Simon Jacob

Shruti Nayak Sharma

Founder & CEO

Creative consultant

A mechanical engineer who started his career selling

Advertising has been a fabulously joyful ride for Shruti for

welding electrodes and industrial adhesives. He went on

past 16 years. She worked at Ogilvy as an Art Director for

to do his MBA from IIM Kozhikode. He has more than a

first 7 years of her career, followed by a short sabbatical

decade of experience in diverse roles ranging from Sales

due to personal reasons. She got back in advertising as

and Distribution, Branding and Below The Line Events

a Creative Writer and currently is working with Onads

& Activations. Prior to founding CampHire, he was the

Communications as a Sr. Creative Director and as a

national sales assurance head for the retail banking

creative consultant at Camphire.

Camphire team

business of HSBC India.

Some of the brands she has worked on include Fevicol, Pidilite, Castrol, Cadburys, Bajaj Electricals, SBI, and Richard Gere Foundation, Asian Paints, neha Mehendi etc.

She thoroughly enjoy working on mainstream advertising and brand building.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Neha Rajpura

Daksh Sharma

Conceptualiser & Copywriter

Senior Vice President Marketing

Neha works at CampHire as a consultant in concept

Daksh has been with Camphire for more than four years.

creation and copywriting since 2013. Over twelve years of

At Camphire, he heads the videos vertical and the BD

exposure to agencies and corporates in the experiential

team.

space, in diverse roles like client servicing and concepts, helps Neha come up with ideas that are insight driven,

With a BE in Electronics and an MBA in Marketing from

strategic as well as ensure impact and brand recall.

IMT Ghaziabad, Daksh currently holds more than nine years of experience, with three years in International

Neha’s soft skills include a good sense of what is

Marketing, two years in Sales and more than four years

executable, attention to detail along with the big picture, an

with Agency experience.

intrinsic understanding of the client’s needs and category trends.

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Client brief

The client team essentially consisted of the main decision

The brand had to be fundamentally an experience

making members of Camphire who were involved in the

signifying ‘fun’ and ‘activity’. The emphasis of these two

first phase of the toy brand development.

words were important in the brand image and must stand out from other brands of similar kinds, especially those

The brief given for the branding project fundamentally

that are currently trending in the zone of meeting ‘fun’ with

characterised the attributes of the toy brand the team

‘education’.

targeted to achieve. The brand was ideated after the study by the team about toys in the Indian market. A very specific

In the next page, the initial few products considered by

kind of toys in the Do-It-Yourself zone, in the Indian market

the company to be launched under their new brand are

was found to be having a high business potential by them.

introduced in brief.

The client targeted a brand that was for the Indian market and premium looking but whose image was not in the typical Indian local visual style. It was specified that the brand image must not be percieved among the common group of ‘desi’ (desi: indigenous) images.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Fun + Activity

Toys in line Magformers Magformers are a set of building pieces of various shapes and colours that can be connected using their magnetic edges to build bigger structures as per the user’s creativity.

Currently unpopular in the Indian market, this particular toy is one of the initial products aimed to be included under the new toy brand, for the Indian consumers.

Kinetic Sand Another product currently in many markets worldwide, but unpopular in India, ‘Kinetic sand’, is an artificial version of the natural sand. This product has a mixed set of characteristics of both the natural sand and the ‘Play-Doh’ clay material. Again a product that can nurture one’s creativity in building forms, ‘Kinetic sand’ is the next product under the new brand’s consideration.

Paper craft The common and simple form of paper cutouts, that can be puched out and folded to form various forms, were considered as a very reliable product series by the company for the new brand. This kind can be explored

These products were renamed for the new brand later, to suit the parent brand name and identity.

across a wide range of subjects, and produced and distributed easily.

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Initial project proposal

Brand identity creation for a new toy company Overview The project undertakes the complete setting up of the brand identity of the new toy company, a new venture of the five year old BTL agency, Camphire. Camphire, based in Mumbai, is a firm focussed in advertising and marketing. The company has decided to begin a toy company primarily for kids, aspiring to bring up toys in the Indian market in the Do-It-Yourself zone.

This project is the beginning point of the company in terms of its brand identity and visual communications.

Target audience The brand primarily focuses on kids of age 3 -6 years. Nevertheless, adults, as parents, and teenagers will be given importance after kids, as potential customers of DIY toys. The brand is aspiring to bring in a wide range of people in its spectrum of toy lovers.

Scope of Work The project would enable the designer to be a solid part in the idenitity generation of the new company right from its inception. The project will involve the designer in various levels of research, conceptualization and visual communication. The works would include research and study based on kids and other target groups, visual identity generation, visual language establishment and communication through various visual media. The project might also provide an opportunity to establish identities for the sub brands that come under the parent company and also provide concepts for ad campaigns and other visual communications for the brand.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Methodology • The project begins with a mind mapping session in order to bring out fundamental concepts based on the company’s keywords ‘fun’ and ‘activity’.

• A basic study on branding and the visual communication methods of similar brands.

• The primary research is followed by the study of the target group and identities related to them.

• This will be followed by visual exploration and refinement of selected concepts and visuals.

• A study on colours and other finer aspects will be done before the final refinements of the visual identity is done.

• A visual brand language is established in order for brand communications.

• Documentation of all the processes will be carried out simultaneously and compiled at the end of the project.

Deliverables The project must typically come up with the main logo and the visual identity for the parent brand of the company. It also would put down the guidelines for using the identity as well as other necessary visual elements to establish the brand communications. Depending on the timeline and the company policies, the project might also include ideation of the sub brands’ identities, visual communications through various media and advertisement concepts for the brand and its toy products.

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What is Branding?

Branding is basically the setting up of a brand that represents a product or an entire company or any group or firm that needs an identity in the public or the commercial market space.

A brand is a set of marketing and communication methods that help to distinguish a company from competitors and create a lasting impression in the minds of customers.

The key components that form a brand’s toolbox include a brand’s identity, brand communication (such as by logos and trademarks), brand awareness, brand loyalty, and various branding (brand management) strategies. A brand is in essence a promise to its customers that they can expect long-term security, a competitive frame of reference and consistent delivery of functional as well as emotional benefits.

The word “brand” derives from the Old Norse “brandr” meaning “to burn”, recalling the practice of producers burning their mark (or brand) onto their products, like livestock.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Logotype

Brand identity

Visual brand identity

The outward expression of a brand including its name,

A brand can also be used to attract customers by a

trademark, communications, and visual appearance is

company, if the brand of a company is well established and

brand identity. Because the identity is assembled by the

has goodwill. The recognition and perception of a brand

brand owner, it reflects how the owner wants the consumer

is highly influenced by its visual presentation. A brand’s

to perceive the brand and by extension the branded

visual identity is the overall look of its communications.

company, organization, product or service. This is in

Effective visual brand identity is achieved by the consistent

contrast to the brand image, which is a customer’s mental

use of particular visual elements to create distinction, such

picture of a brand. The brand owner will seek to bridge

as specific fonts, colors, and graphic elements. At the core

the gap between the brand image and the brand identity.

of every brand identity is a brand mark, or logo. As part of

Brand identity is fundamental to consumer recognition and

a company’s brand identity, a logo should complement the

symbolizes the brand’s differentiation from competitors.

company’s message strategy.

Brand identity is what the owner wants to communicate to its potential consumers. However, over time, a product’s

Symbol

Logo

brand identity may acquire (evolve), gaining new attributes from consumer perspective but not necessarily from the marketing communications an owner percolates to targeted consumers. Therefore, businesses research consumer’s brand associations.

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Study 22

Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

• Mind mapping • Naming the company • Primary research : Survey • User study: Roadside session with children • User study: Session with children at shopping mall • User persona • Context study • Case Study • Playing • Study on brand logos • Study on other visuals • Colour study • Colour explorations • Moodboards to explore colours • Design insights • Revised project brief • The basic philosophy of the brand set Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Mind mapping

The project literally began on a plain chart, with all initial thoughts put down and let to grow and evolove in various dimensions.

It included every possible aspect of the brand that came to the designer’s mind at the very initial stage of thinking.

All descriptions, characteristics and related subjects that emerged out of thinking about each of those aspects were mapped out onto the chart. It even included very rough doodles and also served as a platform to explore potential names for the brand. The thoughts branched out and evolved themselves in the mapping.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Naming the company

The very first step towards the brand identity began with the brand name. Names were explored for the brand based on the brief given and thought out vision and values. The names were explored keeping in mind various criteria like its phonetics, length, its recall value and meaning.

The name exploration began, based on the client brief fundamentally, describing the brand as the one that collaborates ‘fun’ and ‘activity’. Various words related to these were explored, along with their combinations.

The name ‘Toiing’, suggested by one of the creative consultants in the team, was however finalized by the client team after the brief opportunity given to this project to explore a potential name for the brand.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Primary research : Survey

A survey was done at the primary stage of the research to have an understanding of the direction of approach required to take the project forward and build the base for the ideation of the brand’s visual elements. The survey was done among various categories like children from two very different economic backgrounds and young

Study among young designers

design students of NID. The survey attempted to record

A study conducted among the design students of NID

the views and opinions of the various categories of people

consisted of the following questions. Their views, opinions

approached, on basic characteristics like the images that

and other thoughts were recorded for each of the following

are invoked in them with the chosen brand name, the

questions, and the responses were studied to make an

colours, fonts and others characteristics that they tend to

understanding about the basic trend and thinking pattern

associate with the same.

of the specific group of people.

Questions: 1. What's the image that comes to your mind with this name?

2. What are the colours you associate with this?

3. What are the fonts or perhaps the characteristics of how to write this name to show as a toy brand?

4. Any particular attributes, features, thoughts or keywords that you may like to mention to describe about this?

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

The overall response from the young designers strongly pointed out the concept of ‘movement’ in the name ‘Toiing’. With a clear majority using the word ‘spring’ and other closely related ones like ‘bounce’ and ‘jack in the box’ among others, the to and fro motion and the dynamism the brand signifies was strongly recognized with.

The dynamic nature recognized with the brand name was also signified with the use of words in the context of fun, playfulness and energy after those directly meaning movement.

The onomatopoeic nature of the brand name was mentioned as the next important characteristic by descriptions along the springy sound.

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While the response for colour associations for ‘Toiing’ were mainly among the primary colours, the relation of the warm colours like red, yellow and orange with the brand had the maximum response. This was followed by blue and other secondary colours. Almost the entire responses were among these, with a minority of them specifying the need for multiple colour combinations and specifications like the need for bright and pastel shades among others.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

For the brand name, the maximum response came for dynamic and playful fonts or writing along with dynamic compositions and smooth and round edges.

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Ajitesh “The two ‘i’s in the name makes it more playful and make us feel there is a bounce or spring movement happening.”

The study among the young design students from NID

maximum response came for dynamic and playful fonts

gave a basic understanding of certain brand aspects to

or writing along with dynamic compositions and smooth

begin with. The design students responded emphasizing

and round edges. In the overall response, there was a very

a need for the brand identity to be dynamic and one

popular mentioning of the two ‘i’s in the name ‘Toiing’ that

signifying movement and energy. These characteristics

can be used as characters to make the visual playful. The

were mentioned the most with related descriptions

brand name was seen very onomatopoeic with the overall

using words like ‘spring’, ‘bounce’, ‘elastic’, ‘movement’,

brand being largely percieved as a very dynamic, playful

‘playful’ and ‘animated’. The maximum response for

and energetic one.

colour association was for primary colours, bright shades, with the most mentioning yellow, red and orange. Pastel colours and crayon texture were popular as well after the primary and bright shades. For the brand name, the

Mudita Agarwal “It’s like a spring, something bouncy and playful...

Yellow, orange, red, bright blue... maybe written diagonally or broad to thin.”

Aswathi R “For me more than an image, it evokes a sound... ... i would say the combination of primary colours - building blocks of the colour wheel.”

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

User study among kids A study was conducted among the kids of the targeted age group. The interviews were done in a more interactive way.

Questions that engage the kids more were chosen as the interviews developed. Kids were shown the name ‘Toiing’, written on a sheet of paper, and asked to read. Questions regarding colour associations, favourite games and tv shows were asked subsequently.

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User study: Roadside session with children

Kids belonging to a lower economic section were included in the survey. The kids were students of an extra class held on the pavements of the Post Office road, Motilal Nagar 1, Goregaon west, Mumbai.

Colour preferences for the name ‘Toiing’ were, in most cases, their favourite colours. These were largely primary colours, especially red and yellow, and closely followed by blue and secondary colours like green. Giving multiple colours to the alphabets in the name was also opted by a few.

Television was learnt to be an extremely popular medium of entertainment among these kids, when asked about their hobbies. Animated television series ‘Doraemon’ and ‘Chhota Bheem’ were the most popular shows among many others. Other television serials like ‘Mahabharat’ were common as well.

Learning about their part time activities and games, a basic trend was observed among the specific group of kids. Games played were largely the most common ones without much properties, like bat and ball and ‘luka chuppi’ (hide and seek game).

Tendency to spell ‘T-O-I-I-N-G’ was significantly larger than to pronounce the name as one word.

A liking, especially among boys, towards a single character like Doraemon or Chhota Bheem among few others were learnt to be very common. The reasons mainly given for this liking, when asked, were characteristics of heroism symbolised through these characters. They were the ones who fought the bad people, helped people and saved the place.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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User study: Session with children at shopping mall

Kids belonging to the middle and higher economic sections were included in the survey. The survey was conducted at the Infinity Mall, Goregaon West, Mumbai.

Colour associations were largely among the primary colours again, with secondary colours, like green, purple and pink, having comparatively a little more preference than the other class of kids. Red was the most popular again. Multiple colours for the name ‘Toiing’ was preferred by a very few.

The response with the name ‘Toiing’ pronounced as one word was better than the other class of kids. A lot of them could read the name very well, though a few struggled in the beginning by just spelling it out.

The trending television shows among this group remained largely the same with Chhota Bheem being the most popular followed by Doraemon and few others.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

Krit ( 7 yrs old , 4th std ) He would colour ‘Toiing’ red

Viren ( 7 yrs old , 1st std ) Watches Doraemon

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User persona

User 1

User 2

Name: Dhanya Gopal

Name: Pankaj K.

Age: 6 yrs

Age: 7 yrs

School: Kendriya Vidyalaya, Mumbai

School: Govt. LP School, Goregaon

Dhanya is a first standard student of Kendriya Vidyalaya

Pankaj is a second standard student of Govt. LP School,

No.2, Mumbai region. She spends half of her day, all

Goregaon. He spends most of his day, all working days, at

working days, at school. Back home, Dhanya spends most

school. He also attends a short tution class in the morning,

of her time watching television and playing video games.

before going to school. He plays with his friends in the

Saturday and Sunday, she mainly stays home all day,

school ground after school hours. Back home, Pankaj

with an evening spent at a nearby shopping mall with her

spends most of his time watching television and playing

parents, occasionally.

with friends in the neighbourhood. Saturday and Sunday, he mostly plays with his friends outdoors and stays home

Her favourite TV shows are Chhota Bheem and Doraemon.

very less.

She speaks english very well and can read the language without much difficulty. Her favourite colour is red. She

His favourite TV show is Doraemon, and occasionally

generally enjoys digital games more than the hands-on

watches Chhota Bheem and Motu Patlu. He speaks below

ones.

average english and cannot read the language easily. His favourite colours are yellow and red. He generally enjoys playing cricket and ‘luka chuppi’ with his friends.

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

User 3 Name: John Mathew Age: 21 yrs Education: Vivek law college, Mumbai John is a third year undergraduate student of Vivek law college, Mumbai. He spends most of his day at college and the rest of the time in his hostel room or playing in the college campus. His favourite hobbies include listening to music, playing cricket with his friends and watching movies.

He also closely observes some of the animated movies releasing and also loves playing with DIY toys. He is interested in making his own creations with the toys and tend to try out his creativity occasionally with Lego and other similar products.

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Studying popular trends: Doraemon

Context study

Doraemon is a Japanese manga series written and

brand was targeting primarily. This lead the study phase of

illustrated by the manga writing team Fujiko Fujio. The

the project to have a basic understanding of the Doraemon

series has also been adapted into a successful anime

series, primarily focussing on the Doramon character.

series and media franchise. The story revolves around a robotic cat named Doraemon, who travels back in time

The visual style of the Doraemon character was studied

from the 22nd century to aid a pre-teen boy named Nobita

briefly for the same. The simple outlines and the use of flat

Nobi.

and basic colours were noted as key characteristics in the visual style.

Doraemon was found out to be one of the most popular television programme among the age group of kids the

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Studying popular trends: Chhota Bheem & Motu Patlu

Chhota Bheem is an Indian animated comedy-adventure

Motu Patlu is an Indian-Singaporean CGI animated Sitcom

The study revealed ‘Chhota bheem’ and ‘Motu Patlu’ as

series. First premiered in 2008 on Pogo TV, it focuses

television series airing on Nickelodeon & Vasantham. It

two of the most popular TV shows among the kids after

on adventures of a boy named Bheem and his friends in

is adapted from the classic comic strip on Lot Pot. It was

Doraemon. The visual styles used for the main characters

the fictional kingdom of Dholakpur. In this series Bheem

premiered on 16 October 2012, beginning with episode

as well as the whole animation in general revealed basic

and his friends are usually involved in protecting Raja

“John Banega Don”. It focuses on two friends, Motu and

styles used for the visualization. Key visual characteristics

Indravarma of Dholakpur to save the kingdom from

Patlu, living in the fictional city Furfuri Nagar.

like outlines and use of colours in them were noted.

various evil forces. Sometimes they are seen helping other kingdoms as well. It is one of the most popular animated series for children of India.

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ToysRus

Case Study

A few existing toy brands and their visual styles were studied for a basic understanding of the current trends and languages in the market. Toy brands like ToysRus, Funskool and Hamleys and their visual languages were studied from their product packagings and websites.

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Funskool

The visual languages of these brands had a very prominant dynamic character brought in through their various visual elements like colour, form, typography and composition. Each of these elements very clearly used to invoke a vibrant and energetic feel in the viewer through their colourful palettes and dynamic compositions.

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Hamleys Hamleys popularly displayed a more premium brand image, especially in their visual style, compared to many of their counterparts. Hamleys’ product packagings, layouts and other visuals were observed to learn their approach to establish a unique and premium brand image.

Hamleys had a sharper visual language set across their various visual channels with a specific colour palette, dynamic illustration style and simple minimalistic compositions and layouts.

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Playing

The brand is fundamentally a symbol of ‘play’. The major

Play is often interpreted as frivolous; yet the player can be

set of characteristics learnt to be the base of the brand too

intently focused on their objective, particularly when play

were related to the idea of ‘play’, like dynamism, energy,

is structured and goal-oriented, as in a game. Accordingly,

vibrance and fun. The concept of play was thus looked into

play can range from relaxed, free-spirited and spontaneous

briefly as part of the project.

through frivolous to planned or even compulsive. Play is not just a pastime activity; it has the potential to serve

In psychology and ethology, play is a range of voluntary,

as an important tool in numerous aspects of daily life for

intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with

adolescents, adults, and cognitively advanced non-human

recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly

species (such as primates). Not only does play promote

associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but

and aid in physical development (such as hand–eye

play occurs at any life stage, and among other higher-

coordination), but it also aids in cognitive development and

functioning animals as well, most notably mammals.

social skills, and can even act as a stepping stone into the world of integration, which can be a very stressful process.

Many prominent researchers in the field of psychology, including Melanie Klein, Jean Piaget, William James, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Lev Vygotsky have viewed play as confined to the human species, believing play was important for human development and using different research methods to prove their theories.

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In young children, play is frequently associated with cognitive development and socialization. Play that promotes learning and recreation often incorporates toys, props, tools or other playmates. Play can consist of an amusing, pretend or imaginary activity alone or with another. Some forms of play are rehearsals or trials for later life events, such as “play fighting�, pretend social encounters (such as parties with dolls), or flirting. Modern findings in neuroscience suggest that play promotes flexibility of mind, including adaptive practices such as discovering multiple ways to achieve a desired result, or creative ways to improve or reorganize a given situation.

- Millar, 1967; Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000

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Study on brand logos Observations made based on the above logos studied: • Bold typefaces are more commonly used than the lighter ones. Sharp contrast is given in the form of the letter types to stand out and for increased legibility.

• Shades of red are the most commonly used colours.

• Various font styles from hand written to sans serif typefaces are used.

• Use of other primary colours like blue and yellow follow after red with the use of white being very common.

• All the basic logos generally consist of 2-3 colours.

• Simple forms and shapes are used in the logos, keeping it very minimalistic.

Logos of various brands in the similar businesses were

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studied for having a base understanding on what kind of

• The basic visuals including the logos largely consist of

visuals would the ‘Toiing’ logo be competing with and what

flat colours with very less gradient effects and merges,

the basic trends in the visual elements of similar brands are.

keeping the whole feel very minimal.

Study on other visuals

A few Nickelodeon logos were studied among the other logos for kids. The visuals seemed as sub brands or logo explorations of the sub-brands of the Nickelodeon brand.

They were studied nevertheless as they seemed to be visuals that could possibly impart insights required for the project.

A few other logos of prominent brands like ToysRus,

They were largely simple silhouette forms with basic

Nickelodeon and other visuals that were in the similar

flat colours and bold round alphabets. They consisted

categories were studied for a wider understanding on the

of a maximum of two or three colours with larger use of

prevailing visual styles. All the visuals were not necessarily

shades of red and orange, followed by shades of blue and

of identified brands, but were those that were referred

purple on a smaller scale. The typography also mainly

online while trying to study visuals for the targeted age

included the use of lowercase letterforms, giving it a very

groups, especially the 3-6 years old children.

playful and young look.

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Observations made from the visual styles shown: • Vibrant colour combinations • Friendly and playful typefaces with some in handwritten styles • Large use of primary colours with flat application • Two to three colours take the prominence mostly • Largely composed of round figures with very less sharp points • Extensive use of pastel colours.

• Compositions communicate movement, energy and activity.

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Observations made from the visual styles shown: • Use of thin, simple and minimalistic typefaces.

• Use of simple basic pastel shades.

• Use of multiple colours, largely primary and secondary colours.

• Use of minimal and symbolic images made of basic shapes.

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Colour study

Following the basic survey among children in our target

“ There are the three primary colors of Red, Yellow and

audience about their colour preferences and views, and

Blue. Then there are secondary colors of Green, Orange

also with the design students of NID, and the study on

and Purple. Additionally, there are Tertiary colors that are

various contexts and visuals, a study was done on the

combinations of the first two sets. Complimentary colors

basic natures and characteristics of primary colours,

are opposite to each other on the color wheel and often

especially the warm colours, red and yellow. Moodboards

evoke feelings of excitement. Analogous colors are those

were made accordingly to explore these colours. Decisions

that are close to each other on the color wheel. These give

regarding the logo colours were made on the basis of this

a particular feeling whether it be warm and cozy or cold

entire study.

and depressing. “

- Color can influence emotions in a way that few other mediums can. (digitalskratch.com)

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Global Meanings of Red • Red’s global similarities are significant.

• Red is one of the top two favorite colours of all people.

The survey revealed the dominant preference for the warm colours which lead to a brief study about the specific preferred colours. The study gave insights into what various colours can represent and what emotional and psychological effects they can invoke in human beings.

• Red is the most popular color used on flags in the world.

Approximately 77% of all flags include red.

• Red is the international color for ‘stop’ signal.

• Red districts sell sex and pornography in every European culture.

• The history of languages reveals that red is the first color after black and white. All languages have words for black and white. If a third hue exists, it is red.

- www.colormatters.com

The study revealed how the warm colours, especially red,

Global Meanings of Yellow

could be the best choice for the brand considering the nature of the colour and the characteristics it represents,

• Yellow's global similarities are significant.

like being energetic and dynamic.

• In almost every culture yellow represents sunshine, happiness, and warmth.

• Yellow is the color most often associated with the deity in many religions (Hinduism and Ancient Egypt).

• Yellow is the color of traffic lights and signs indicating caution all over the world.

Colour explorations

Various colours, especially among the primary and

who were involved in the survey and also were used in

secondary hues, were explored for the possible brand

some of the visuals for kids studied. The pastel shades

colour pallette. Colours were shortlisted keeping in

represented a raw and original nature of the kids. Colour

mind, the vibrance, brightness and energy that had to be

combinations were later tried out from these explorations

displayed. Even the pastel shades were explored slightly,

for the logo display.

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Colours explored.

Initially shortlisted colours for a standard brand colour palette.

However, it was decided at a later stage that the brand will not have a fixed palette of colours as the logo came out to be colour flexible with a single colour being its standard colour. Flexibility in colours gave the brand a more open range and wider prospective to be vibrant and dynamic.

Nevertheless, the colour exploration helped to have an understanding of the potential range of hues suitable for the brand’s visual communications.

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Moodboards to explore colours

Moodboards were made to draw an understanding on the colours and their combinations. Moodboards were tried on the basis of the relevant subjects.

Moodboard 1: A moodboard made of images of simple toys for kids, to study the basic range of colours used.

Moodboard 2: A moodboard of toys of the colour range which got the maximum response in the survey, among warm colours, were chosen to make a palette of the same.

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Moodboard 1

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Moodboard 2

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Observations based on Moodboard 1

Observations based on Moodboard 2

• Colours ranged largely among the primary and secondary

• The toys in the range of the warm colours of red, orange

shades.

and yellow had an extemely energetic visual impact.

• The hues are largely brighter and attractive.

• The logos and toys in warm colours were more eye capturing and standing out.

• The colour combinations largely includes more than two colours in each of the objects, making the overall visual

• The warm colours of all tints and shades were involved

very vibrant and colourful.

with brighter shades having more prominance.

• The attractiveness brought through the vibrancy indeed

• A combination of warm colours were common, with

evoke the dynamism, fun and energy the brand was

some also having warm colours used with other non-warm

aspiring to project.

colours in lesser proportions.

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Design insights

• The designs and the visual language for the target

• Complexities are to be reduced and avoided to the

audience must always be made to be very minimal but

maximum, as seen in the large use of flat colours and

dynamic.

simple line illustrations and simple forms.

• The colours, forms and other visual aspects must be

• Conceptually, an extremely active character must be

chosen accordingly to grab the attention of the target

brought in the visuals.

audience, mainly children of the specified age group of three to six.

• Dynamism, energy, fun and playfulness are to be the keywords for the brand as per client’s brief and study.

• The designs must be largely vibrant and organic than being very geometric.

• Themes and stories could be very well used in making design decisions.

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Revised project brief

At the completion of the major study phase for the project, the brief was slightly altered in its details before the execution phase began. When largely the initial project brief remained unchanged, following sections of the brief was slightly altered to sharpen the project’s design processes and their intentions and goals.

Target audience The brand primarily focuses on kids of age 3 -6 years. After kids, the brand also considers adults and teenagers as customers of its DIY toy products. The brand is aspiring to bring in a wide range of people in its spectrum of toy lovers.

Scope of Work The target audience now included the other age groups after the 3-6 yrs old group, with more importance. The scope of work and accordingly the deliverables ruled out the expansion possibility of this project into other sub-brands of the parent brand and advertisement conceptualizations considering the time limit.

The project would enable the designer to be a solid part in the idenitity generation of the new company right from its inception. The project will involve the designer in various levels of research, conceptualization and visual communication. The works would include research and study based on kids and other target groups, visual identity generation, visual language establishment and establishing the visual style for communications through various visual media.

Deliverables The project will come up with the main logo and the visual identity for the parent brand of the company. It also would put down the guidelines for using the identity as well as other necessary visual elements to establish the brand communications.

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The basic philosophy of the brand set

The brand philosophy and brand vision, from the client brief, was refined and clarified at the end of the study.

The brand would stand for ‘fun’ and ‘activity’ primarily.

It would represent characteristics like dynamism and playfulness. These are the primary qualities to be represented and imparted through each of its communications. The premium class of products that the brand aspires to produce and project must be depicted in its brand image, standing out from the rest of the market.

The brand symbolises ‘fun’ and ‘activity’ through its Do-It-Yourself toy products. The interaction with each of its products is playing, and a fun experience, with a lot of energy put in for various activities involved. The visual brand image must stand for these, at the same time showing its premium class in the market.

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Visualizing the logo 64

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• Doodles • Typeface Explorations • Digital Explorations • Shortlisted options • Experimenting the shortlisted logos • Logo form refinement • Colour finalization • Standard logo colour • Selected Logo

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Doodles

The execution phase for the visual identity began with basic doodles with a sample hypothetical name. Various visual concepts for the logo were tried out through doodles. The concepts were those that came up from the initial mind mapping, with respect to the initial client brief and discussions.

Concepts like Jigsaw, ribbons, puzzles, connecting dots, weaving, balls and more were visually explored to see their possibilities.

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The selected name ‘Toiing’ was then included and the

Concepts like basic bouncing movement, spring motion,

among the exploration of the ‘Toiing’ written form, after

doodles continued, exploring the possibilities of the main

toys and playfulness were explored in various dimensions.

learning the potential of the idea and the client’s need to

logo with the name.

Movement and playfulness brought in through dynamic

have a written form as the logo.

compositions of the letter forms were explored for more The explorations went through numerous possible visual concepts, following the mind mapping.

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simple logo forms. The explorations largely were directed

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Typeface Explorations

At the very beginning, a few fonts were explored to see for potential letterforms that can act as the logo for the brand. Fonts that were very playful and different from the regular ones were tried for the same. The letterforms in these were observed and explored even further to see for interesting letterform combinations. Together, these explorations played a very initial role in the logo visualization and logo form exploration. The digital explorations, then carried forward beyond just font explorations.

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A few of the explored fonts

toiing TOIING

Bubblegums Regular 30 pt

Visual explorations with the fonts shown

Candy Shop Regular 30 pt

toiing

TOIING toiing

TOIING toiing

TOIING toiing

Funnier Regular 30 pt

Snacker Comic Regular 30 pt

Choko Regular 30 pt

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Digital Explorations

Points considered for the logo from the research: • Preference to be given for warm colours to represent brand characteristics like dynamism, energy and activity.

Shades of red and yellow to have the most significance among the warm colours considered. The other popular shades like those of blue and other secondary colours and use of multiple hues to bring vibrancy must also be considered.

• Written form of the logo to be smooth and soft edged.

• The logo composition must be dynamic and strongly signifying movement and playfulness.

• The brand may possibly have the representation through a character.

• The image of spring, ‘popping up’ and movement have the most popular connection to the brand name. This has to be considered while visualising the logo.

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A few selected visuals from the doodles were digitized and explored further.

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Further explorations digitally.

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Visuals were narrowed down as logo explorations and refinements progressed.

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Shortlisted options

After layers of works on various concepts and refinements of visuals for the logo, two of the ideations were narrowed down to. The shortlisted two were based on the brand vision drawn from the research, and chosen after refinements and discussions with the client team in Camphire.

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The logo was reflecting more the playful image of the brand with round letter forms and dynamic composition.

Red was used to make it attractive and energetic.

The logo was more hand-drawn looking to have a very ‘hands-on’ image and representation of ‘activity’. The forms have more rough outlines to make it raw, playful and fun and yellow was used to improve its attractiveness, making it bright and energetic.

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Experimenting the shortlisted logos

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The first shortlisted option was explored for its possibilities in being more iconic for the brand. The logo was experimented to be more playful and energetic. The particular playful character was tried to be emphasized more through the specific letterforms of the logo, especially the ‘i’s. Colour variations were explored as well before finalization.

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The second shortlisted option went through the same

Once the explorations were done and presented,

process of experimentation for being more iconic for the

the designer and the client team together had a few

brand. The letterforms, especially the ‘i’s were tried to be

discussions on both the options. The options were cross

made more playful. Composition and colour variations

discussed several times, and a preference for the first

were explored as well for emphasizing the dynamism and

option was evident gradually. Thus, the first option was

playfulness in the logo.

subjected to further refinement for the logo finalization.

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inital visual

Logo form refinement

Final

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Primary colours

Exploring shades of red

Colour finalization

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Standard logo colour R: 255 G: 0 B: 0

C: 0 M: 99 Y: 100 K: 0

Pantone: 485

The standard colour remains the brand’s iconic colour

maximum Red value (255) and minimum value for both

for the logo and must be compulsorily used for the logo

Green and Blue (0) in the RGB colour space. Hence, the

when displayed on white background. Otherwise the logo

selected red is very bright and strong. This was also done

remains colour flexible.

keeping in mind the company’s plan of going more in the digital platforms than the printed ones, which use the

Out of the various shades of warm colours, and specifically

CMYK colour space.

that of red, explored, preference was given for the brighter ones, for more energy and vibrance visually. After exploring and refining through the shades, the standard logo colour was chosen. The selected standard colour has got the

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Selected Logo

The final logo was chosen after a vigorous discussion among the designers and the client team involved, at Camphire. The logo stands for the brand vision and philosophy. The visual sharply depicts the brand’s characteristics of being dynamic, playful and energetic.

The client’s brief of the brand being fundamentally a combination of ‘fun’ and ‘activity’ is represented as well.

The red colour of the logo is standardised as the main logo colour. It represents the desired characteristics of the brand and its popularity among the target audience in the desired contexts gives it a sharp possibilty of being associated appropriately.

The whole form is very round and playful and depicting bouncing movement, studied to be apt for the brand image. The reflections on the letterforms add to the vibrancy and playfulness of the logo.

The logo would be the primary face of the brand representing all of its fundamental characteristics visually.

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Setting the Visual language 90

Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016

• Initial exploration • How could our backgrounds look?

• Typography • Fonts selected for the headlines and titles • Fonts selected for the body copy • Understanding existing product packages • Refined explorations • Observations made at the end of explorations • Moodboards for the brand characteristics • Final concept options: first option • Mock ups explored for the first option • Final concept options: second option • Mock ups explored for the second option • Final concept refinement • User trial • Refinement • Final concept for the Visual language Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Initial exploration

The following points were considered while exploring the visual language for the brand communications: • Circular and round forms are to be used predominantly to

• The shapes and forms must have a very round and

bring in more dynamism in the visuals.

‘bouncing’ character mainly to keep its active and playful feel.

• Motion is to be shown visually in the compositions and layouts.

• Bouncing, spring-like, elastic or related movements to be made the base for the animations, like for transitions,

• The forms and their compositions overall must project a

entrance and exit.

strong dynamic character.

• Elements could have a very round visual character or • Movements and dynamic compositions brought in must

curves and forms looking similar to the logo.

sustain the attention of the audience group.

• Simple circles and ellipses would possibly be the best • The visuals must be vibrant and colourful.

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fundamental units.

Initial form explorations Base concept: Bringing in a charcter from the logo, which would tell stories for Toiing all across.

The irregular balls would move in a characteristic way, which could be the iconic character for the brand through its communications.

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Round shapes would be the story tellers here. The compositions, and the imbalances they can make in funny animations could be a potential characteristic image.

Elliptical shapes could add now more dynamism and expressions in their movements and compositions.

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This was primarily based on the bouncing movement.

A dynamic character is certainly brought out in still and moving compositions with this visual style.

These initial visual explorations were mainly a brainstorming on narrowed down concepts and brand characteristics visually. They were only attempts to see the potential visual possibilities of the initial ideas, in order to build a base for further explorations for the brand’s visual language.

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Various elements and themes explored for the visual styles.

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Elements and character styles explored in par with the visual character of the logo.

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How could our backgrounds look?

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Round and playful forms were explored to set possible backdrops for the brand visuals

Variation tried.

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Typography

The brand name in the written form, when asked about, was largely identified as a very playful one. The maximum response from the survey came for dynamic and playful fonts or hand written types along with dynamic compositions and smooth and round edges. Following the brand vision and the logo form, the typographic elements of the brand was set along the same brand characteristics, but also considering its other necessary attributes like legibility and adaptability across various mediums.

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Funnier Regular 10 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

A sample word used for demonstration

gallery

Candy Shop Regular 10 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Fonts selected for the headlines and titles Three fonts were shortlisted for being used in the brand communications for the major texts like headlines, product names, other headings and titles. These were selected for their vivid, playful and

A sample word used for demonstration

funny character.

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

gallery

The font Candy Shop Black was chosen subsequently for its characteristic look that meet the brand requirements and for its similarity to the logo letter forms.

Candy Shop Black ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Regular 10 pt

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

A sample word used for demonstration

gallery Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Gill Sans MT Regular 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Tekton Pro Bold 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Fonts selected for the body copy

A few fonts were shortlisted for the body copy in the brand communications. The major part of the texts of ‘Toiing’ communications would be coming out in this font style. The characteristics for this purpose that the font required were largely basic things like readability, visual compatability with the brand visual language and other brand fonts, smooth communication without disrupting the

Neutra Text Book 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

brand values and character.

After an intensive cross matching and analysis, the font Gill Sans MT was chosen for the body copy of the brand, for being compatable with other brand fonts and being more universal and adaptable than some of the other shortlisted ones.

Futura Lt BT Light 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Hobo Std Medium 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

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intr oduction

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Combinations tried

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intr oduction

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Understanding existing product packages

A visit to a popular stationaries and toy store in the locality,

Nevertheless, the visuals were very intensely composed

Anupam Stationery Plaza, was done to study the basic

in most cases, with the use of too many visual elements

kind of visuals on the packagings out in the market. This

like colours and illustrations. Overall, it also seemed a little

was done aiming at having an understanding on the design

chaotic and repetitive, especially when looked at from a

styles and visual brand languages that actually went live

distance at many of the packages kept together in a shelf.

and are interacting with the general public currently. The importance of this study was revealed mid-way while

An analysis of this gave an understanding that the idea

exploring the potential visual language for the brand and

of minimalism in the visual language could possibly get a

was done after the initial layer of explorations of the same.

new product stand out among the existing packages in the

Further explorations continued later, including the inputs

market. Apart from minimalism being a possible approach

from the study.

to give the brand a premium look as desired by the client, it also proved to be effective in giving the brand a unique

The packaging visuals were observed to have certain very

character in the present market.

basic styles. The colours were very vibrant, with almost all the primary and secondary colours very much used

The attempts in the visual designing were hence directed

in combinations. They were bright and pleasant. The

with these understandings in consideration, and yet not

compositions were probably tried to be made very playful.

losing the desired brand characteristics.

The overall dynamism, which was a major characteristic considered under the project, was visible to be a popular characteristic targeted to achieve by most of the brands.

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Photographs taken during the visit to the stationaries and toy store

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Refined explorations

The visual language was further explored based on a minimalistic approach, with the least number and kinds of elements put in. The round shape was used, which symbolise playfulness, fun and activity and was designed in a form that could cut across various mediums and themes as the visual language for Toiing through simple repitition.

The round shape could resemble to a simple element like a ball or a bubble, which are playful associations for the visual element. Other aspects could be collaborated though, for a more effective communication as per need.

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The visual style along with another visual or backdrop

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Variations explored with a hypothetical concept for a poster.

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Hypothetical concepts were chosen and tried out as sample posters to explore the possibilities of the visual style, also in combination with other tried out visual elements.

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After trying out sample visuals for the brand language,

Three products, namely Magtoi, Sandtoi and a hypothetical

the exploration process got onto experimenting with the

space science themed product Flytoi were chosen for

surface of the packagings of the toy products.

the exploration of the visual on the packaging surface, to try different kinds of themes for a visual language. The

A sample box dimension was chosen to explore the visuals

Magtoi is a product comprising of magnetic units which

for the top side of the packagings of Toiing products, at

can be used to construct bigger structures and sandtoi is

this stage, only for the basic visual style, not focussing on

comprised of an artifical material that can be moulded as

the packaging design details.

per desire, both allowing you to nurture your creativity in building various forms. The three chosen products let the

The products under consideration for the initial phase of

design exploration experiment with three different themes.

launch were renamed for the ‘Toiing’ brand. The products Magformers, Kinetic sand and the papercraft were renamed ‘Magtoi’, ‘Sandtoi’ and ‘Craftoi’ respectively.

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These particular attempts were tried with the initial round form based visual language and the toy themes. The ‘Candy Shop Black’ font along with the logoforms were used for presenting the title ‘Magtoi’. This continued for the next few explorations as well, and was considered only temporary for helping set the other visual elements for the explorations and was considered to be finalized later. The image of the toy product’s forms completed the primary set of visual elements for the surface of the packaging.

Exploring variations continued with these.

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The theme of beach was tried for ‘Sandtoi’, and space was tried for the hypothetical product ‘Flytoi’. The round forms in the visual style was tried to be incorporated into the themes without losing their respective characters as well as the brand language identity.

However, this option proved to be not as effective as it did at the initial attempts. It largely proved to be not effective as a potential visual language, risking the brand communications to be chaotic visually, and reducing the effectiveness of the brand interactions.

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The next one was minimalised visually as per brand vision and client feedback, still retaining the toy themes. This time lesser number of elements were used, changing their forms to more tubular ones with round corners. Toy products’ characteristics and subject backgrounds were used for ideating other visual elements.

The attempt, once completed, was not convincing enough to the designer visually, and thus was subjected to refinement without changing the base concept and form but with slight variation in its application.

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Minimalism is being even more emphasized here, with the visual brand language elements being the only and main visuals, making formations according to the toy themes.

The tubular forms here were used to make the product theme related shapes, with the product title being the only main accompanying visual element.

In terms of its uniqueness among the other competing visuals in the market, the attempt seemed effective, but was however not convincing enough to be the final visual style.

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More direct and minimalistic forms were used here, making an attempt to form a more subtle brand visual language. The tubular forms were increasing the number of elements visually, and thus this attempt tried to reduce it by giving a more direct representation of the product’s theme based shapes. The shapes however retained the round corners.

Again it was subjected to refinement for not being impactful enough for a potential brand visual language style.

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The forms were further refined to look more fluid and dynamic and playful, keeping in account, again the elements of minimalism and toy themes.

The attempt seemed more effective than its previous ones, and the fluid nature added to the effectiveness of the desired brand visual characteristics. Though the visual seemed effective conceptually and even in its impact, further refinements were felt to be made for finalizing onto a brand visual language style.

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Observations made at the end of explorations

• The visuals should be minimalistic but must retain enough emphasis to be noticed and might have multiple elements that are not interfering with the basic minimal visual style.

• The language must be absolutely versatile and less interfering, but very iconic.

• Forms could largely be fluid with playfulness, vibrancy and dynamism brought in through other elements like colour.

• Visual language should enable flow of information, not just in a single composition, but facilitate it across various compositions or pages and in the transitions among them.

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Moodboards for the brand characteristics

Following the attempts on an adaptable visual language for the brand, a brief study on the forms symbolising the desired characteristics and visions of the brand was done.

As part of this, the most iconic and important characteristics for the brand identity were chosen, boiled down to three words, ‘dynamic’, ‘exploring’ and ‘playful’. Moodboards were made based on each of these descriptive words. The character, especially in the shapes and forms, brought out through them were studied to refine the brand visual language styles.

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Dynamic

Observations: • The forms were very evidently curvy and fluid in their shapes.

• No evident order or sharp geometry were visible in the forms.

• Non-similar forms were used to make the possibly required chaos visually.

• Use of variations in shapes and edges, in large numbers, were significant, probably to avoid formation of any kind of patterns.

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Exploring

Observations: • Exploration was largely associated with traveling.

• An element of uncertainity and curiosity is being strongly depicted.

• Visually there’s a lot of plain, open landscapes shown, probably depicting its potential wide range of attributes and information.

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Playful

Observations: • The forms had a very distorted look.

• There was a feel of an activity brought through the shapes.

• Fluidity was depicted sharply in the forms making it very dynamic.

• Distorted and fluid forms gave a very playful and childish character.

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Final concept options: first option

To present the final options for the brand visual language, a basic layout for a typical box surface for the Magtoi, along with a few mock up images were used.

The first option had the flowing tubular forms as the fundamental visual element for the brand’s visual communications. They were proposed as the brand’s story teller who could carry on any messages and ideas and stories around. The elements could vary in number and colour combinations, but would have a unique way of turning and flowing across all possible mediums of communication of the brand.

The versatality of the visual elements could help the flow of data across pages, through animations and in other digital and print media forms.

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Mock ups explored for the first option

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A few mockups of various kinds were tried, to visualize and understand the application potential of the concept

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Final concept options: second option

The second option was developed with the direct inputs from the moodboards studied. The visuals were made more fluid and dynamic. The distortion from the normal geometric forms was learnt as a way to approach to this idea.

The tubular stuctures were simplified here, to become just parallel running forms, which were then made more fluid to bring in the brand essence of being playful and dynamic and energetic.

These fluid forms could now pass through various mediums for the brand communications.

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Mock ups explored for the second option

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The surface layout exlporation for the pack for ‘Locktoi’, a conceptual product by the company for future.

The visual style was experimented for its effect when multiple units of locktoi would be stacked together.

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Final concept refinement

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The second concept among the finals for the visual language was learnt to be more relevant and was taken further for refinement.

The client feedback for the brand to be made more premium, emphasizing on a more minimalistic approach, adding to the study that directed towards the same, was considered at this stage.

The fluid forms in the visuals went under repeated refinements to be more minimalistic in their visual appeal and more importantly, be a more versatile language that can cut across the mediums, strongly uphoalding the brand vision and brand identity but at the same time not interfering with the particular visual and other theme based elements in each brand communication. The forms now had the influence of the curves of the logoforms, to make the visual language unique and specific to the brand identity.

The typographic elements were finalized at a later stage, after the user trials.

The name ‘Magtoi’ was written in one of the shortlisted fonts ‘Funnier’. After the final option presentation and refinements, the typography was finalized with changes.

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User trial

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The samples made while refining the chosen visual language styles, were taken out for user trials. The location chosen was the entrance of one of the most popular toy and kids stationaries store in Goregaon, Anupam stationary plaza. Customers, which included kids, parents and others, were asked to choose from one of the samples or mock ups presented. Responses were subsequently collected to understand the reasons of their choices and key points were drawn. The final refinement thereafter was carried out with these points under consideration.

There was an evident preference for the sample with a bigger display of the name, which was specifically commented upon by the users. Based on the understanding from user preferences on both the options and their comments, certain changes were decided for the final visual refinement. The curves were made to be more minimalistic, with unnecessary elements removed and the name to be more visually dominating in the layout.

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Refinement

Including the inputs from the user trials and feedback and subsequent analysis of the visual style, certain changes were made before the finalization. The curves were slightly more refined according to those of the logo forms, making it more unique along the brand identity, while keeping it minimalistic and simple. The forms were made to look like waves or ripples, a concept associated very well to the brand characteristics. The other main refinement and finalization was in the typographic elements.

Typography finalization Of the three fonts shortlisted for the headlines and titles, ‘Funnier’, ‘Candy Shop’ and ‘Candy Shop Black’, one had

Funnier Regular

to be narrowed down to as the only and standard font for

gallery

the purpose, as the initial thought of having more than one font for the purpose of more diverse use, was analysed to be counter-productive, confusing for an other designer and diluting brand identity’s strength. Hence, the font ‘Candy Shop Black’ was finalized for being more suitable and

Candy Shop Regular

similar in form to the logo forms. The letter forms of the

g allery

font composed dynamically could go along with the logo forms to form the titles of the products under the brand.

‘Candy Shop Black’ was set as the only and standard font for the brand’s headlines and titles.

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Candy Shop Black Regular

gallery

Mock up made for the Magtoi packaging, which was used as the primary mock up for exploring the visual language, after the final refinement.

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Final concept for the Visual language

The waves The waves, as the final concept has been named, is the

The waves, simply signify the idea of spreading energy

basic visual style or language that would speak for the

across. The forms can signify various actions like

brand in all its communications across various mediums.

‘passing’, ‘shouting’, ‘movement’ and ‘energy’, all of which goes with the basic playfulness, fun and activity that the

The waves, in the form of ripples from the Toiing logo,

brand stands for.

would now flow across all its mediums of communication.

The wave forms are incorporated in a very minimalistic The forms that pass would have the basic curves of the

visual style, that could be easily set for any medium, with

Toiing logo or the logo variations, thus stamping the brand

least interference to the subject of communication. The

identity everywhere it flows through.

waves can be of any size or colour, but essentially spread out from the common epicentre, which is the Toiing logo,

The waves are dynamic and energetic as per the brand

with the same logo form. This also establish that, no

vision and has the capacity to scale up and down as per

matter where or what it communicates, the visuals are

requirement, thus giving it the versatality to communicate

fundamentally from the main brand.

across various mediums of all scales.

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Visual identity Manual 140

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• Black and White • The Standard formats of the Logo • The Clear Zone • Various colour combinations • Incorrect Symbol Treatment • Typography • The wave formation • The Standard sizes of the Logo • Stationary Design: Letterhead • Stationary Design: Envelope • Stationary Design: Business Card • Mock ups

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Black and White

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The Standard formats of the Logo

Any of the three given variants of the logo can be used to represent the brand as per design requirements, the one shown on the top being the standard and main version of the logo.

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The Clear Zone A minimum negative space of dimensions proportionate to the logo as shown below must be used everytime when the logo is presented or used in any layouts, for the best visual results.

0.75 x

0.75 x 0.75 x

x 0.75 x

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Various colour combinations

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Incorrect Symbol Treatment

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For headings and sub-headings:

Typography

Candy Shop Black

Candy Shop Black Regular 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

For body copy:

Gill Sans MT Gill Sans MT Regular 12 pt

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

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Gill Sans MT Regular

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Gill Sans MT typeface usable for the brand:

Gill Sans MT Italic

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Gill Sans MT Bold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Gill Sans MT Bold Italic

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Gill Sans MT Extra Bold

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Gill Sans MT Light Regular

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Gill Sans MT Light Italic

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 148

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sample text body

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

How the font Candy Shop black is used for the product names

MAG Candy Shop Black Regular

Brand logo format

Recomposed while added

Another sample for a product name

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Step 1

The wave formation

Step 2

Step 3 150

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The same process could be followed for any of the three formats of the logo to form the wave forms that could then be composed in any frames for any of the brand visual communications. The composed frame must need only a segment of the wave form in any scale, but in the same proportion. They can also have the complete form if required. The waves too could be of varying width and frequency, as long as they maintain the same proportion.

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For Envelope

16.5 mm

The Standard sizes of the Logo

37.6 mm

For Business Card

5.8 mm 13.3 mm

For Letter head

13.3 mm

30.3 mm 152

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14.9 mm

11.8 mm

11.8 mm

Stationary Design: Letterhead Margins for logo 14.9 mm - top margin 11.8 mm - left margin

Margins for text 11.8 mm - right margin The text and logo are to be bottom aligned

Letter body text Font - Gill Sans MT Regular Size - 12 pt Line Spacing - 14.4 pt Alignment - left

Address details Font - Gill Sans MT Light Regular Size - 8 pt Line Spacing - 9.6 pt Alignment - left Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Stationary Design: Envelope

Margins for logo

Sender’s Address details

Receiver’s Address details

8 mm - left margin

Font - Gill Sans MT Light Regular

Font - Gill Sans MT Light Regular

8 mm - Bottom margin

Size - 8 pt

Size - 12 pt

Line Spacing - 9.6 pt

Line Spacing - 14.4 pt

Alignment - left

Alignment - left

220 mm

30 mm

33 mm

110 mm

To, P.K. Atrey Aecretary, BRFST B-13, Chitrakoot Aprtment, Part-1 Judges Bunglows Road, Near H.P.Petrol Pump, Ahmedabad 380 015, Gujarat. India

130 mm

8 mm

Camphire, Block no:116/929-930, Haribhau Rupwate Marg, Motilal Nagar No 1, Goregaon(W), Mumbai-400104.

Tel: 022- 6534 7036. Email: info@camphire.in.

Website: http://camphire.in/

8 mm

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60 mm

Stationary Design: Business Card 88.9 mm

Name details

7.2 mm

Font - Gill Sans MT Regular Size - 12 pt

50.8 mm

Designation details Font - Gill Sans MT Light Regular Size - 8 pt Alignment - left

6 mm

7.4 mm

Alignment - left

Simon Jacob CEO, Toiing Camphire, Block no:116/929-930, Haribhau Rupwate Marg, Motilal Nagar No 1, Goregaon(W), Mumbai-400104.

Tel: 022- 6534 7036 Email: info@camphire.in.

Website: http://camphire.in/

5.8 mm

Address details Font - Gill Sans MT Light Regular Size - 6 pt Line Spacing - 7.2 pt Alignment - left

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Mock ups

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Mobile Splash Page

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Packaging

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T-shirt variations

A poster: The visual style with photography

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Business card & Letter head

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Website

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Conclusion 162

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• Project Conclusion • Reflecting myself • Craftoi • Futuristic ideas • Bibliography • Webliography • Index

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Project Conclusion

The project was truely the beginning point of the new

from not having a tagline to having one, and thus has

brand’s visual identity. The project began at a point where

included a tagline along with the logo in the final products.

the brand was just a concept and a business idea, without

This decision was made after the project got concluded.

even a name and by the end of it, it was able to provide it

However the main logo, has been launched into the market

with a logo and visual language and mockups for a brand

as per the project ideated.

ready to launch.

The visual language had been subjected to various levels The project was concluded, finalizing on the main two

of discussions with the client team, during the project

parts of the brand identity of the new toy brand, namely

period but was not decided upon by the client team, due to

the logo and the visual language. The finalizations were

reasons out of the reach of the designer and this project.

made in consultation with the client team and were under

The visual styles and mockups were however submitted to

consideration for production while the official time period

the client on completion.

of the project got over. The project spanned over six

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months from February 2016 to July 2016. During this time,

The products currently in the market have only the logo

the logo was completely approved for production and

from the project implemented and the other visual

has currently reached the market through the brand’s first

elements, so far, are not according to the brand guidelines

product ‘Craftoi’. The company however changed its stand

made with the project.

Reflecting myself

“ The project became my first ever work to go live in the

the confidence in me as a designer, not just in my design

market, to establish myself in the real world as a graphic

thinking but also in my capacity to cope with various

designer. The six month long experience at a new space,

challenges to accommodate myself and my design goals

out of educational backdrops, gave various dimensions

among much diverse views and goals, but without losing

and units to measure my design abilities, apart from those

the fundamental design process and values. It helped me

I had only as a design student. Working in an environment

learn a lot of new things without compensating on my

with professionals of various kinds, for a sharply focussed

skills and personal goals. Afterall, the excitement to have

market goal, along with design targets, gave various

your work on products in the actual market for public to

challenges and resources for an otherwise more secluded

see and interact, is a feeling, one of its kind.”

design project. The design process thus had various points

- Gopikrishnan H

of highs and lows, with many occassions of break offs and excitements. Ultimately, the experience proved to be a perfect mixture of perfections and imperfections, uplifting

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Craftoi

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The logo, that was ideated in the project, printed as the brand identity on the products.

The first product of the company produced under the brand ‘Toiing’ is ‘Craftoi’. Craftoi is fundamentally, a paper craft kind based product. Cutouts of various forms are provided in the pack, along with the instructions to fold and combine them to make it into a complete 3D model. The users could make it themselves with the help of instructions provided.

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Futuristic ideas

The potential range of the proposed visual language extends way beyond the mockups made and tried in the project. The project could be later extended or used for the designs of many more applications of the toy brand.

Various games and toy products could also be tried and ideated based on the branding of Toiing. Various other mediums like animation and other motion based communications could be tried.

3D variations of the logo and the visual language and the use of these in the 3D installations for the brand stores and stalls could also be the next phase of brand extension.

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Bibliography

• Designing B2B Brands - Carlos Martinez Onaindia, Brian Resnick • Understanding the Language of Branding (Introduction To Brand Management) - Lister Butler Consulting, New York • Branding Magazine November 2014 (www. brandingmagazine.com)

Webliography

• https://www.wikipedia.org/ • https://www.google.co.in/ • http://sametz.com/ • http://www.livescience.com/ • https://codemyviews.com • http://madebyfieldwork.com/ • https://www.youtube.com/

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Page 47 Chhota Bheem image on left: http://www.images20.com/ Motu Patlu image at centre: http://www.nickindia.com/ Motu Patlu image at right top: Screenshot from youtube video Chhota Bheem image at right bottom: Screenshot from youtube video

Index

Page 48 (Clockwise from top-left) Image 1: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ Image 2: http://popsop.ru/ Image 3: https://fthmb.tqn.com Image 4: www.toysrus.com Image 5: http://7ucy.com/ Image 6: http://www.alepaint.com/ Page 49 (Clockwise from top-left) Image 1: http://toyfort.in/ Image 2: http://funskoolindia.com/ Image 3: http://www.joybox.in/ Image 4: http://funskoolindia.com/

Page 17 CampHire logo: Camphire team Page 27 (top to bottom) Image 1: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com Image 2: http://s3.gomedia.us/ Image 3: http://images.teamsugar.com/ Page 23 Magformers image on left: http://mag-wis.ru/ Magformers image on right: https://www.avito.ru Kinetic sand image on left: http://www.ilovespeelgoed.nl/ Kinetic sand image on right: http://www.thelittletoybox.com/ Paper craft image on left: http://www.cuentocuentos.org/ Papercraft image on right: http://www.papertoys.com/ Page 46 Doraemon image on left: http://www.my0832.com/ Doraemon image on right: https://www.youtube.com

Hot wheels logo: http://www.motoringexposure.com/ Fisher- Price logo: http://brandongaille.com/ Funskool logo: https://www.toobeez.com Toy story logo: http://www.htigroup.co.uk/ Page 55 Image 1: https://www.pinterest.com Page 56 (clockwise from top) Image 1: http://vanimg.s3.amazonaws.com/ Image 2: http://events.redstar.eu.com/ Image 3: http://www.designers.dp.ua/ Image 4: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com Image 5: http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com/ Image 6: http://www.quickdraw.co.nz/ Image 7: http://calpersloan.com/ Image 8: https://bypixelperfect.files.wordpress.com

Page 50 Image at top: http://blog.tipntag.com/

Page 57 (clockwise from top-left) Image 1: http://www.formoda.co.uk/ Image 2: https://storage.designcrowd.com Image 3: http://www.vitbbs.cn/ Image 4: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com

Image at bottom: http://www.duho.co.uk/

Image 5: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com

Page 51 (Clockwise from top-left) Image 1: https://www.pinterest.com Image 2: http://www.93design.co.uk/ Image 3: http://www.hamleys.com/ Image 4: http://www.93design.co.uk/ Image 5: http://www.93design.co.uk/ Image 6: http://www.hamleys.com/ Image 7: http://www.93design.co.uk/

All the other images in the document belongs to the author.

Page 54 Disney logo: http://www.pngpix.com/ Lego logo: http://www.gsmmall.co.in/ Playskool logo: http://www.keyword-suggestions.com/ Wildly co logo: http://opportunitythreads.com/ PBS kids logo: http://pbskids.org/ Little tikes logo: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/

For the documentation: Typeface families of Roboto and Roboto Slab

Mockup support: http://www.freepik.com/ https://www.mockupworld.co/ http://graphicburger.com/ Acknowledging all the type designers of the following fonts used in this project:

For branding: Candy Shop Black.

Brand identity creation for a new toy company • Graduation project

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Gopikrishnan H • B.Des • Graphic Design • NID 2016