Design Development and Research

I have now started to develop the designs for the MDH Masala re-branded further through following feedback from last weeks group discussion.

I started with gathering some research on food packaging designs which I found interesting and relevant and then created some initial sketches inspired by them. The main source that I used as research for this was Robot Food, Robot Food is a design studio from Leeds which focus specifically on food packaging and food branding. I have been familiar with Robot Food studio since last year when they were recommended to me to get in touch with for a possible placement.

Brands that Robot Food have worked with are The Co Operative, Mr Kipling, Cadburys, Carlsberg and loads more. Below shows images of Robot Food packaging and branding projects that I found most intriguing and relevant towards my practical work.

I found the contrast between patten and text hierarchy
particularly interesting here

These designs instantly look amazing because of the vibrant
colours and well shot photographs used on the front which
also create a nice contrast with the Mr Kipling logo

I loved the packaging design of this in the way that the imagery
combines abstract pattern and photographic imagery. Great contrast

Initial sketches based on research

I also looked back at my research from unsuccessful and successful Eastern food packaging and branding that I had gathered prior to designing. This research focused more on being culturally appropriate and sensitive within the designs that I create.

My aim for the re-brand is to be more culturally sensitive and thoroughly research based within the designs that I create, but to not make it boring and too minimal, the designs still need to be interesting and unique whilst reflecting the culture in a more appropriate and meaningful way.

Furthermore, my group discussion last week mentioned that the main aim of the typography is to be legible and appealing and that I should use a neutral typeface that doesn't communicate one specific culture, something global and neutral would be most appropriate and least stereotypical- Sans serif.

I then gathered some further research on the most popular global Sans Serif typefaces in order to decide one to use; https://www.typewolf.com/top-10-sans-serif-fonts. The typefaces that caught my eye initially were Brandon Grotesque, Avenir and Gotham.

Below shows developments of an initial design idea that I worked on today. This focuses on the re-brand for the Garam Masala flavour, it takes design takes its references from the colour psychology that I gathered on Garama Masala and the map of where it specifically comes from in India. It focuses on pattern using the area map, pattern relates to Indian architecture and fashion.

Garam Masala experimental pattern

Below shows developments using the experimental pattern that I created, the typeface that I have decided to use at the moment is Brandon Grotesque. However, I may change the typeface as I think it works for the body text in thin but looks too childlike in bold for the title.

I showed these 3 initial design developments to my peers in order to gather feedback on which worked best, the circle design was voted best by my peers. The circle represents the globe as the audience for MDH Spices is anyone that has in interest in Eastern food and/or wants to learn more. However, I really wasn't really happy with these designs as the pattern imagery just looked a bit too busy and all over the place.

I decided to develop the imagery further using research that I gathered on the actual ingredients that go into Garam Masala, as in the actual plants and seeds that they are picked from, this shows that thorough research was done into the details of the masala, rather than showing a picture of the end dish which the current MDH Spices box designs use, which seems lazy. 

I decided to go with more of a photograph based aesthetic than pattern as this is more appropriate and clear in showing the what the exact plants look like, I also continued using red as the main colour as it is relevant to the history of Garam Masala.

Development 1

Development 2:
Using initial idea of a circle (representing the globe)