The Process

The process for this project involved market research, stakeholder mapping, development of personas, visual investigations, prototyping & refinement of concepts to arrive at a fully realised articulated brand identity and packaging assets.

Market research was conducted in craft beer stores, local bars & through online exploration of other local brewers.

 Market research enabled a clear idea of the direction of the current industry & identification of gaps in the market that provided opportunities for a strong brand presence. Through this stage, it became apparent that there was oversaturation of visually chaotic, colour saturated packaging designs that did not capture attention on shelves. In addition, there was also a lack of information in regards to terminology & product range for those who were new to the world of craft beer.

Stakeholder mapping and use of personas allowed identification of needs & preferences of key players.

Stakeholder mapping allowed identification of key consumers, stockists, collaborators, industry members & venues that would come into contact with the brand. Creating personas to represent these groups helped to inform key design choices that would enable the brand to meet the needs & preferences of the target audience. Through this process it was realised that the brand needed to provide education to breakdown barriers to the craft beer community, maintain a sophisticated yet approachable brand image that would hold space on the shelves of craft beer stores as well as high end venues.

Brand brainstorming and visual investigation solidified brand direction & values.

The knowledge gained from investigating the current market & stakeholders spurred exploration of ways in which needs could be met through brand identity & visual representations of possible solutions. In reaction to the over-saturated visual experience, the design of the brand headed in a minimal, Scandinavian inspired direction. This resulted in the name ‘Outforskad’, the Swedish work for ‘uncharted’, reflecting the experimental nature of the brand. Such a name inspired a ‘charted’ approach to visualisation, utilising pie-charts to represent the differences between each beer in the range

Prototyping was a way to resolve problems before moving on to the production phase.

Experimenting with potential concepts allowed for development & problem solving through trial & error. This phase involved both 2-D & 3-D experimentation to ensure both brand identity & physical outputs met the needs and requirements of stakeholders. This phase gave way to refinement for final delivery of the project.

Outcomes included brand assets, packaging for core range, promotional packaging

Refinement of the design resulted in brand assets presented in a style guide, can packaging for three core beers, 6-pack packaging for three core beers, promotional 6-pack packaging for marketing purposes and a set of coasters for use at stockists and venues.

The Points of Learning

This project reinforced for me the importance of a comprehensive design process to fall back on in times of uncertainty in order to produce design outcomes that are both aesthetically & physically effective & functional. 

When in doubt, return to your personas; they were created for a reason

Over the course of this project, there were points where I felt ‘stuck’; unsure how to proceed and a little out of touch with the overall vision for the brand. Returning to the initial research that was conducted to inform the project was a real help in refocusing and being able to work through problems with a clearer direction and purpose. This project in particular helped me to appreciate the important role that experience research plays in the design process. Taking the time to develop an understanding of stakeholders and creating personas that accurately reflect and humanise them could not be more beneficial in guiding crucial decisions that will impact the way a brand interacts with its key audience and fosters an environment to build a vision and a community that is key to it’s success and continuity.

Designing for the real world requires you to get your hands dirty

Designing for physical spaces can not be effectively done within the confines of a screen. This process drove home the importance of physical prototyping for producing a product that meets the needs of the stakeholders and communicates the purpose and vision of the brand. Physically prototyping allowed me to understand how the brand elements were interacting on the packaging and also with the surrounding environment so that any improvements could be made before the packaging went to print. Just because it looks good on screen, doesn’t mean it is going to look good on the shelf!