Google Design Brief

Unit 32: Packaging in Graphic Design Unit Code: Y/601/6248 QCF level: 5 Year Two Credit Value: 15

HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA

Unit 32: Packaging in Graphic Design Create an imaginary packaging range for Google’s family of products

The Brief!

Background Imagine all of Google’s products came in boxes.

What would that line of packaging look like? How would you show the different product families, the features, the benefits and bundles? What might a physical shop look like stocked with Google products?

How would you design point-of-sale for Google Plus or Chrome?

At Google we make a wide range of products.

Sometimes it’s hard to explain to people how many products we make for users and what they all do. You can see all our consumer products listed below and by following this link too - http://ycn.sh/viHodH.

Products Web: • Web Search - Search billions of web pages • Google Chrome - A browser built for speed, simplicity and security • Toolbar - Add a search box to your browser

Home & Office: • Docs - Create and share your online documents, presentations and spreadsheets • Gmail - Fast, searchable email with less spam • Calendar - Organize your schedule and share events with friends • Translate - Instantly translate text, web pages, and files between over 50 languages.

Media: • YouTube- Watch, upload & share videos • Books - Search the full text of books • News - Search thousands of news stories • Picasa - Find, edit and share your photos

Geo: • Google Offers - Get amazing offers at the best places to eat, shop, and play • Latitude - See where your friends are • Maps - View maps and directions • Earth - Explore the world from your PC • Panoramio - Explore and share photos

Social: • Google+ - Real-life sharing, rethought for the web • Blogger - Share your life online with a blog - quick, easy and free • Reader - Get all your blogs and news feeds fast Specialized Search: • Scholar - Search scholarly papers • Trends - Explore past and present search trends

Mobile: • Maps for mobile - View maps, your location and get directions on your phone • Search for mobile - Search Google on the move

Challenge!

• We want you to create an imaginary packaging range for Google’s family of products. You are free to interpret the idea of packaging, and approach format, in any fashion you like.

• Explore ways to bundle the products as a family (i.e Adobe Creative Suite) but ensure each product is distinct and its purpose is obvious.

• You do not need to be exhaustive - but please include at least three of our top products: Chrome, Google Plus, YouTube, Gmail, Maps... and of course Search!

• The packaging should inform, inspire the imagination and clearly articulate the benefits of the products.

• In addition to your packaging ideas you are welcome to create additional material to bring your ideas to life - such as merchandise, Point of Sale or other retail concepts. This is optional.

Outputs Feel free to demonstrate your ideas in any way you like flat artwork, videos - it’s entirely up to you.

Audience Primary: the mainstream user (you, your friend, your mum) who uses the internet but doesn’t use all of Google’s products.

Secondary: any internet users shopping for Christmas stocking fillers.

Style

Google has a very particular style when it markets its products. It is clear, informative, white and user-focused. It is quirky, but not whacky, or ‘funny’. Do some research and you’ll find examples.

Branding

Try to use the logo in as respectful a way as possible. The logo should be small and uncluttered. Use either the flat full colour logo on a white background or white on full colour (these can be found in the brief’s project pack along with a guidelines PDF).

The logo should not be modified or customized under any circumstances.

You may create additional colour palettes if needed within your work.

Tone

Similar to the clear style of our web content. Try not to ‘sell’ the products, instead be useful, informative and friendly.

Be ‘fast’ (to the point), ‘accurate’ (contains trustworthy information) and ‘easy to use’ (easy to understand). Don’t use superlatives. Don’t claim special powers.

Comparisons must be understandable and truthful and be backed up with real data.

Do not clutter, confuse or write too many words1

You should show evidence of your idea and development work throughout the project.

You should submit; • • • • • • • • •

A sketchbook to support your research and practice.

Research and analysis of packaging solutions Analysis of packaging materials Research and evaluation of different packaging manufacturing processes Experimental packaging ideas Development of packaging concepts Finished and analysed developed ideas Evaluation bibliography

Task 1:

Research and evaluate examples of different packaging processes.

Task 2:

Research and Analyse existing packaging.

Task 3:

Analyse different materials you can use for packaging; think of cost, ease of use, printing.

Task 4:

Research and evaluation of different packaging manufacturing processes.

Task 5:

Develop concepts for branding to be used on the packaging.

Task 6:

Create a range of experimental packaging, using handdrawn, and constructed 3D prototypes.

Task 7:

Evaluate packaging solutions in over coming the problems identified by client.

Task 8:

Using the techniques and experimental concepts you have created, develop and analyse your concepts towards a realised outcome.

Task 9:

Produce final realised outcomes that are of presentation quality, present to client.

Task 10:

Evaluate your assignment using feedback from client to highlight areas to consider improvements. Record feedback.