Topic outline

  • Course assignments

    You will work in teams of six students with a fictional re-design project.
    The objective is to analyze and propose how a chosen food product brand can be re-positioned or extended to explore new market opportunities through the introduction of new product offerings. Each team is required to suggest four to five new flavours for the brand and design packages for these flavours. The selected brand should be associated with a product suitable for folding box board packaging. You will print one packaging prototype at Printlab. In printing, the maximum sheet size is 330x488 mm, and the maximum printing area is 320x478 mm.

    Assignment Guidelines:

    1. Brand Selection:

      • Choose an existing and well-known food product brand suitable for folding box board packaging.

    2. Current State Analysis:

      • Conduct a thorough analysis of the current state of the chosen brand in the market (background research). Identify its strengths, weaknesses, and distinctive features.

    3. Identifying Opportunities:

      • Explore potential areas for brand enhancement and evolution. Consider new directions aligned with the brand's current market position.

    4. Product Extension:

      • Propose an extension of the brand by introducing four to five new flavors. The proposed flavors should align with the brand's repositioning (but you don't need to worry about how the flavors will be produced, or how they would actually taste).

    5. Concept Development:

      • Collaboratively develop an overarching concept as the foundation for the rebranding effort.

    6. Design Development:

      • Each team member will contribute to the final design in their designated tracks:
        • Packaging Design Track: Design the package form and structure.
        • Surface Design Track: Create patterns for each flavor to be used in communication.
        • Typography Track: Design labels and logos for each flavor.

      • The whole team is responsible for combining the visual and structural elements to form a cohesive and functional visual identity on the packaging.


    Key Points:

    • The re-branding effort should appear as a natural progression for the selected brand.
    • Team collaboration is essential. Develop a cohesive overarching concept and integrate individual contributions into the final design.
    • Approach this assignment as an opportunity to apply design principles in re-imagining and extending the brand's reach in the market.



    • Assignment icon
      Concept Presentation Assignment

      During the concept presentation, your task is to present your team's design brief and introduce a new product, package, and concept direction for the brand. Ensure a clear and concise delivery by addressing the following points:

      1. Perception of Current State:
        Articulate your perception of the current position of your chosen brand in the market.

      2. Re-positioning or Extension Direction:
        Clearly outline the direction in which you intend to re-position or extend the brand. Include the revised future press release in your presentation and highlight the key points.

      3. New Flavors for Product Extension:
        Specify the 4-5 new flavors you plan to introduce to extend the product family.

      4. Look and Feel Presentation:
        Present the visual representation of the new product family using mood boards and color palettes.

      Additionally, ensure that your design brief and concept direction are rooted in the course assignments, workshops, and readings.

      Presentation Practicalities:

      • Each team has a 15-minute time slot for presentation, feedback, and discussion.
      • The presentations follow the Pecha Kucha format, where each presenter displays 20 slides for 20 seconds (6 minutes and 40 seconds talk).
      • A preliminary slide deck must be submitted one day before the presentation. However, updates are allowed until the start of presentations on Friday at 9:00.


      Adhere to these guidelines to present a comprehensive and well-grounded concept that reflects your understanding of the brand and its potential evolution.


      Evaluation criteria:

        • Background Analysis:

          Quality of the background analysis based on the reasoning supporting insights into the current state of the brand.

        • Proposed Direction:
          Novelty, reasoning, and quality of argumentation supporting the proposed new direction for the brand.

        • Mood-Boards and Visual Style:
          Clarity and logic of the mood-boards and color palettes in communicating new directions for the product, packaging, and brand.

        • Presentation Quality:
          Overall quality, clarity, and visual and verbal appeal of the presentation.


      Please note: late delivery will result in a lower grade.


    • Assignment icon
      Final Presentation Assignment

      The final presentation will be done as a gallery walk, where each team sets up a "fair booth" with physical package prototypes and a PDF presentation on their iPad or laptop. The goal is to introduce the team's concept and final design to visitors, including peers and teachers.

      • Physical Package

      • Present the printed and assembled packaging prototype


      • Presentation

      • Provide a brief summary of your project's design brief and any changes since the concept presentation
      • Use insights and course readings to articulate and support the reasoning behind the project concepts and final design.
      • Present the final package design, emphasizing its alignment with your design brief.
      • Use computer visualizations (renders) and separate slides to showcase work produced in each track (Packaging Design, Surface Design, Typography).
      • Clearly show how the final design meets the objectives set in the brief.

      Follow these instructions to deliver a concise and well-structured final presentation, focusing on the project's evolution and the coherence of the final design with the established brief.


      Presentation Practicalities:

      • The gallery walk or fair occurs from 9:15 to 11:00 for teams 1-7, with teams 8-13 as visitors. From 11:15 to 12:45, teams 8-13 present, and teams 1-7 act as visitors.

      Evaluation criteria:

        • Background Analysis:

          Quality of the background analysis based on the reasoning supporting insights into the current state of the brand.

        • Proposed Direction:
          Novelty, reasoning, and quality of argumentation supporting the proposed new direction for the brand.

        • Final Design
          Quality and attractiveness of the final package design. Visual fit for product.

        • Presentation Quality:
          Overall quality, clarity, and visual and verbal appeal of the presentation

      Please note: late delivery will result in a lower grade.



    • Assignment icon
      Report of individual design contribution Assignment

      In the report, present your personal contribution to the shared project from sketches to more developed designs. The report should include:

      1. your proposals for the shared design (track work)
      2. short description of the (personal) process undertaken
      3. short description of the contribution to the shared design in addition to making personal design proposals.
      4. reflection on team work
      5. self and peer evaluations (see template).

      Please note: 

      • The grade you will receive for this report is a grade for your individual design contribution in the context of the track you followed (Surface Design, Packaging Design or Typography Design).
      • Other information presented in the report will, together with peer evaluations from your team, result in a grade for individual contribution in team work.
      • Late delivery will result in a lower grade (for your individual design contribution)

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