Final Idea

The final design I concluded to make.

Packaging Ideas

Here are some drawings I did in class of some possible packaging ideas.

Self Assessment

My self assessment on the work I have done so far.

Specification

The design specification for my product.

Aesthetics

The Aesthetics of the packaging will be a classic twist on the modern. The design will be simple and fresh, but with retro images and theme. A catchy slogan, brand and name in clear text will all feature on the box. The images will be of classical and retro music artists, as well as iconic places in music history, such as the river Mersey and Nashville recording studio. All colours will vary, creating a unique, colourful range of IPod packaging. 

Cost

The cost of my packaging must be relatively cheap compared to the price of the product. Budgeting the prices of materiels will be tricky and the more complicated the design, the more processes and techniques must be used, hence raising the price. In addition, if I want the outside box to be water proof then I will have pay more, even though it's a good idea and practical. As well as the outside box, I will also have to budget for the padding materials inside the box which insulate the actual IPod.  
    

Customer

My target customer is somebody aged 65+, who is interested in becoming more up to date with new technology. Most people in this age range will be rather apprehensive towards new technology as it is not part of their generation, so my packaging design must be reassuring and simple.  My product must appeal to both women and men, as well as reflecting the music they are interested in. I hope to accomplish all of this by incorporating some character into the packaging design and including some retro references in its aesthetics, as well as using unisex colours and images. The size and ergonomics will also be custom made around the age range.

Ergonomics

The ergonomics must not affect the products aesthetics in a negative way and must not weaken the packaging. The ergonomic-al design must not be too radical for my age range and *must* be easy for them to grasp in their hand. Other qualities are that it must be compact, solid and with a glossy texture. Due to my age range being the older generation, I'm going to keep to the conventional shape of box, a rectangle or square. 

Size

There isn't much to say in relation to the size of my packaging, however I plan it to be big, eye-catching and holdable. However, it can not be overly large compared to the product inside, as that would be a waste of materials and money. For even further research, I will look into mobile phones which are specifically aimed at older people and how large there packaging is.

Safety

My product must be well made and up to national safety standards. Its outside materials must be smooth and without sharp edges, as well as durable but light. The padding inside my box must be thick and protective.

Ergomics

Here are some comments on other products conserning ergonomics.

The product is effective in its use of ergonomics because it uses anthropometric data to conform to the client's needs by being shaped to the users fingers and style of writing. This ensures that the pen is comfortable, has an easy usage and can improve the writers handwriting.  

     The product does not loose aesthetic qualities due to its ergonmic appeal, it creates a stylish, original look that is different to other specialised pens on the market. Its range of bright colours and semi-transparent coating also adds to the effect of originality. The aesthetic look would commercially appeal to young school children. 

     The strengths of the product is its unique shape, creative design and young appeal, as well as the practical aspects of its use such as its easy use and comfort. Its disadvantage is the fact that not all people hold their pen in the same way and that it might hurt some people to do so and not all people .   

The product is effective in its use of ergonomics because of the ridges are shaped around the edge for easy handling, as well as the way in which the lid is able to be peeled back and then pushed closed. 

     The product does not loose aesthetic qualities due to its ergonomic appeal as the metal lid is part of the tin can design. The clever, creative aesthetic look may appeal for those looking for a fun, new light source.

     Advantages include its portability, holding ridges and being able to control the concentration of the light by peeling it back only half way. I am unable to see in the picture whether the cans are insulated or not - this could be a large issue as it could get very hot. Another weakness of the product is that it it may not be reseal-able completely.

The products ergonomics are effective because of the curved plastic that allows the bottle to be held alot more comfortably. The increase in density of the bottle at the front advertises the brand and name nicely.
     The products aesthetics are improved due to its ergonomics, as the bottle's unique shape gives the product an extra dimension, so to speak. 

     Advantages are that it's easily holdable, has a individual design and is very noticeable when displayed on a shelf. Disadvantages are the fact that the bottle is smaller and can hold less due to its ergonomics.

This fourth product also has effective ergonomics, as you can see by the ridges in the bottle where a man's fingers are supposed to go, as well as the curved, textured side for your palm.

     Once again, this product's aesthetics are improved by its manufacturers use of ergonomics, as the finger spaces give the product a clean, edgy look.

     It's new-age image, minimal colour scheme and specially shaped sides are defiantly advantages. However the weaknesses of the product are its wide breadth that might be difficult  to fit in someone's hand.   

Research

Following my Task Analysis and Product Analysis I completed some online secondary research.

At first I looked into the most common type of IPod casing - a non-scipt chrome cover. This is obviously very popular due to its unisex appeal, modern and sleek design, as well as its tight protective shape. Its only weakness is that its chrome shine may scratch or fade and the material may not be as durable as it seems. 

Whilst on the website I discovered that Apple also produces special IPod handbags. These are obviously aimed at women, due to their colour and style. They are very practical and fashionable, as well as being made to a good quality. Its weakness is the fact that it advertises that you are in possession of a expensive music device, making it prone to theft. 

I then went on to research accessary brands such as "SkullCandy". "SkullCandy" manufactures individual, radical music accessories such as headphones. The one weakness is that it has a very small target market, which is always young people. 

I also looked at covers for the IPods, which are highly varied in design and target market. They range from celebrity covers to historical cases. They also add protection from any damages. The only problem is that certain cases will only fit to certain makes.

Which led me to engraving on to IPods. Any encravement can be made onto the IPod, so it could appeal to any target market. Laser engraving is very expensive though and not very many   professionals are available to do it.

The engraving of other Apple devices such as laptops is also available, as well as laptop covers. They can be very simple or very comical. A key disadvantage is that covers don't fit to every type of laptop and engraving can be expensive.

After finding that a big problem I had was using shape and form in the packaging, I did some more research into it, based on the music theme. The vinyl collection below, takes its theme from the music's roots. This will be hard to replicate on my own version as there is no specific genres of music.  

This made me look into the use of text and shape in vinyl record cover designs. They subtly reflect the music and genre and are very simple. However they do lack colour.

Another issue that I discovered in research was my lack of knowledge about type. I investergated complicated types of lettering, as well as clever ways in which lettering has been used.

Product Analysis

An image of some actual I Pod packaging.

The purpose and function of this packaging design is not only just to protect the product until taken out of its packet, but also to display the IPod, advertise the brand and to appeal to possible customers.  It does this by exhibiting the product through transparent acrylic plastic, showing the logo and name in big print on the side and creating an iconic look which sets it apart from other music products on the market.  
     The majority of the packaging does not use a printing process as it is made of durable plastic, though from what I can tell lithography or flexography were used to print the high gloss card packaging and booklet which can be seen in the back segment of the box, advertising the brand.
     Compared to other similar product’s packaging this is rather an innovative piece of merchandise. The use of high quality, transparent plastic sets it apart from the rest, as others tend to have a printed picture of the product, rather than being able to see the actual IPod. This means that the packaging is original, different and the product is more likely to sell. However, manufacturing will cost more.
     Previously, I mentioned that an appealing quality was the iconic look the packaging had. It's iconic because, the IPod packaging uses minimal colour, decoration and text to create a fresh, futuristic image unlike any seen before. It's clean branding appeals to customers looking for new, original product and the smooth, hard, glossy texture adds to the effect with its sleek form and simple shape.
     The strengths of this packaging design are its clear labelling, inventive use of materials and simplistic, iconic design, which takes the product to a whole new level, hence making it truly memorable. Its weaknesses are its lack of character and slightly intimidating space-aged look, which could look scary to those of the older generation or those out of touch with new technology.