PACKAGING & MERCHANDISING DESIGN // PROJECT 01

 PACKAGING & MERCHANDISING DESIGN // PROJECT 01

Rebecca Thoo Hui Ying / 0350359
Bachelor of Designs (Hons) in Creative Media 
Packaging & Merchandising Design Project 01

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INSTRUCTIONS: 

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LECTURES

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EXERCISE

Project 01

✧ This is a project that sparks my interest, which was to create a happy meal set packaging design with an educational message behind.

Fig 1.1 Ideation

✧ Two ideas were presented to Sir before settling with Idea #2: Malaysia Animals (renamed to be: Endangered animals in Malaysia)

✧ It would be quite educational as I will include the state of endangerment of each chosen animals as well as the reason why it is happening. The idea was to collaborate with an organisation to help with this issue on this "mock" happy meal project. 

Research:
1. Reasons why it is facing extinction
- animal poaching & wildlife trade
- decline of wild habitat
- deforestation
- rapid urbanisation

2. Endangered species
- Malaysian Tiger
- Malaysian Tapir
- Asian Elephant
- Bornean Orangutan
- Black Shrew
- Sun Bear
- Sundan Pangolia

* In the 1950s, Malaysia was estimated to have as many as 3,000 tigers. However, loss of habitat due to rapid development, agriculture expansion and widespread hunting, has caused the population to decline to fewer than 150 individuals as of 2022.
* Malaysian tapir 3,000 left in the wild (Endangered).
*Sun bears are labelled “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, which means they are at risk of being extinct in the wild.

How to help these animals:
100% profits goes into (Global Conservation.org / WWF)

WWF “Building a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.”

- create a campaign of sort to tie together with the 50th anniversary

Fig 1.2 WWF Malaysia's 50th anniversary

Fig 1.3 some of the endangered animals on WWF Malaysia's list #1 

Fig 1.4 some of the endangered animals on WWF Malaysia's list #2 

Fig 1.5 watermark to use in packaging

Things to illustrate:
“Because at the end of the day, humans can’t survive without the forest, wildlife and a stable climate.”
: globe with humans holding hands with the animals/ globe with only the heads of the human/animal

Reference:
1. https://malaysianwildlife.org/animal-species/how-endangered-is-malaysian-wildlife/
2. https://www.wwf.org.my/tiger_facts/status_of_malayan_tigers/
3. https://rainforests.mongabay.com/kids/animal-profiles/malayan_tapir.html
4,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_rhinoceros#:~:text=The%20Kerinci%20Seblat%20National%20Park,population%20is%20now%20considered%20extinct.
5. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6553/18493355
6. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/restoring-orangutan-habitat-in-malaysia
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mammals_of_Malaysia

Sketch:
✧ We are to also include an interactive game in the packaging. Initially, the idea was to create a landscape illustration where the kids could test their eye sight to see if they could spot where each animals were hidden. But that will be too heavy for me to complete, so instead I've opted to create a grid with the 6 different animals jumbled up and forming a tiger shape out of the jumbled animals.

Fig 2.1 Sketch

Fig 2.2 MCD happy meal box template

Digitalisation Progress:
✧ The process took about 2 & a half weeks to complete

Fig 3.1 Animal icons and layers in Ai

Fig 3.2 Using a guide to rotate each cartoon in a uniform maer

Fig 3.3 Creating the game by using the tiger's head as overlay

Fig 3.4 Final Ai Work station

Fig 3.5 WIP of Fries 

Final Digitalised Flat Design:

Fig 4.1 Front (MCD Happy Meal Box)

Fig 4.2 Side (Right) (MCD Happy Meal Box)

Fig 4.3 Back (MCD Happy Meal Box)

Fig 4.4 Side (Left) (MCD Happy Meal Box)

Fig 4.5 Final Flat Design PDF

Mockup Progress:

✧ After creating all the elements, I inserted them into Photoshop by using the smart object function to place my designs on each layers. 

Fig 5.1 Creating Box Mockup in PS

Fig 5.2 Inside Smart object layer  (MCD Happy Meal Box)

✧ I couldn't find any nice existing MCD happy meal box mockups, so i decided to based it on Fig 5.3's image and creating a mockup on my own.

✧ Image was from: https://www.rd.com/list/vintage-happy-meal-toy-ads/

Fig 5.3 Box mockup example

Fig 5.4 Mockup Process using distortion, wrap & perspective tool (MCD Happy Meal Box)

Fig 5.5 Fries mockup using Smart object

Final Mockups of MCD Happy Meal & Fries

Fig 6.1 Flat lay mockup of MCD Happy Meal Box

Fig 6.2 Flat lay mockup of MCD Happy Meal Fries

Fig 6.3 Final Mockup of MCD Happy Meal Box, Front & Back

Fig 6.4 Final Mockup of MCD Happy Meal Box Front

Fig 6.5 Final Mockup of MCD Happy Meal Box Back

Fig 6.6 Final Mockup of MCD Happy Meal Fries, Front & Back

Fig 6.7 Final Mockup of MCD Happy Meal Fries, Front

Fig 6.8 Final Mockup of MCD Happy Meal Fries, Back

Fig 6.9 Final Mockup of Full MCD Happy Meal Set

Fig 6.10 Final Mockups of MCD Happy Meal Set PDF

Final MCD Happy Meal Set Presentation

Fig 7.1 Final MCD Happy meal Set Presentation

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REFLECTIONS

Experience 

This is the first time for the cohort to have physical classes. It was also the first time we got to explore and use the equipments that were catered to assist us in our projects. Working with the laser cutter was different and intriguing. Witnessing the machine cutting points speedily is a fun process to watch. With that being said, working with the machine proves that we need to be articulate and as detailed orientated as possible as even putting a line in the wrong colour could result in minor errors.

Observations

Through this course, I've gathered some interesting observations. Packaging is not as it seem. A packaging might look simple but it requires a lot of thinking went into the end results. A simple box structure comes with a lot of calculating too. Making sure each flap closes at a certain angle is crucial when it comes to making the box. 

Findings

I particularly like working on the case study exercise. We often took packaging for granted, discarding it right after we've consumed the product within. It was an exercise that allow me to take a step back and analyse the design on it and raise questions of: why are symbols placed there? what is the function of the barcode? what is the purpose of text & pattern embossing? I also got to analyse a brand that i frequently consume that got to open up my eyes more to why the brand would choose the certain symbols or colours. 

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