When I graduated from Portfolio Center, I was one of 4 designers emerging from a mostly advertising-focused program. Now 10 years later, under the indefatigable leadership of Hank Richardson (call him Cowboy), the school's design program is one of the most highly-respected in the country. Graduates are instantly snapped up by Pentagram, SamataMason, Landor, TurnerDuckworth and everywhere in between.
For those unfamiliar with Portfolio Center, the design program is two years and full-time. No summers off, softies. At the time, I considered it boot camp for artsy people. You may enter as one of those who like to hide in the corner and sketch dark scenes in your moleskines, but you'll emerge a living, breathing, communicating, hard-working, deep-concepting, business-understanding employable designer. Not a bad exchange for your quarterly tuition.
So, I'm happy to present a sampling of recent graduate (and almost-graduate) packaging work, along with some brief project descriptions. Take a look, and hire 'em if you can. Like any good package, they won't be on the shelf for long.
Adam Jesberger
G.I. Joe's original logo and inspired color schemes give a nod to the history and longevity of this brand while the modern cylindrical packaging design allows for maximum visibility and impact. By including two figures per pack for instant playability, G.I. Joe now lives up to it's new tagline of 'an adventure in every box'.
Nutro's Natural Choice variety has been re-imagined for higher-end markets by speaking to informed pet owners with a sense of humor. The company statements, quality ingredients, and feeding guidelines are clearly defined. The varieties within the brand are color coded for higher recognition and the implementation of organic materials throughout reinforces the natural theme.
Audrey Gould
Maya Overseas Foods is a major supplier of South East Asian groceries to retail stores, restaurants and distributors throughout America. The redesign uses traditional textile patterns and both English and Hindi to speak to both cultures. The brand targets women who, culturally, do most of the cooking. Each piece contains a quote by Gandhi meant to bring a form of inspiration and peace to the kitchen.
Claire Courtade
Inspired by a kid I knew in the second grade who always had disgusting-looking lunches and no friends, I tried to think what would make you popular in a room full of seven-year-old jerks. I loved the idea of a cube both because the way it fits in a lunch box and how its small size suggests the notion of portion control. Thinking about the essence of the product itself – fruit – I incorporated the leaf that you pull up to put the straw in.
Jason Puckett
Meant to target sports fans directly, the design of Chef Drew's Organic Salsa was inspired by common elements found in all sports. The new label invites fans for more than just a tasty dip by taking the form of a ticket to the game. The Drew Heat ranking system uses stadium seat locations to represent how hot you like your sports action, from the Upper Level to the Field Box.
The new Kraft logotype embodies the true idea of family, with the parent 'K' reaching out to hold the rest of the letters together. The package system was influenced by a mother's reminiscence of her mother's home. The information is organized like a family portrait, framed, and hung on a wall; with a background of pasta-patterned wallpaper. Additionally, I made the item name large on the box side, so when placed in the pantry, space could be conserved by placing it sideways and still be easily read on a shelf.
Katie Vinci
I wanted to redefine the brand behind Weight Watchers. I didn't want to change who they are, but define them better to the public. They are percieved as a diet for older women, but in reality it's about learning to eat right. I worked with copy writer Angie Sailo to develop the brand strategy and copy.
Pleasant Valley Tree Farm, where I worked before attending PC, sells their trees online and will ship them wherever you live. I created 9 foot boxes for the trees to be shipped in, which, when stacked, creates a tree through positive and negative space.
Mary Campbell
Fetch is a complete brand of pet products, offering everything from bedding, feed bowls and mats, to vitamin-fortified bottled water for dogs. The Bark-n-Beg product packages support Fetch's overall positioning – modern, energetic, playful – offering a sophisticated yet fun alternative for the marketplace.
Rachel Strubinger
We were assigned to create a new fragrance brand from the bottom up: name, identity, bottle, and packaging. My inspiration was my favorite everyday moments, which I call “hush” moments. For me, these moments are understated and invaluable. I wanted to represent the quiet power you feel about the hush during your first cup of tea in the morning, the hush before a kiss, the hush while taking your dog on a walk. The process culminated in a ripe dandelion puff, ready to be wished upon.
