To support the creative education sector and inspire the next generation of talent, we have several partnerships with universities and schools, including UCEN Manchester. Earlier this year, in collaboration with course leader Alex Komlosy, we set a brief for the 2nd-year students studying Graphic Design and Branding, which was all about taking a boring object, an established industry, and creating an innovative new brand. After a couple of check-ins and feedback sessions over the past few months, the students came to our Manchester studio to present their final projects.
We were incredibly impressed with all of the work and presentations, and after much deliberation, we awarded Grace Oatway as our overall winner for her 'Sticky' concept. We invited Grace back to the studio for an immersion day where she spent time with Bryony, one of our designers and a student mentor, who helped develop the winning idea into a case study for Grace's portfolio.
The results are below, and we also sat down with Grace to learn more about the process...
Hi Grace! First things first, what did you think of the brief when you first saw it?
When I first saw the brief, I was engaged from the very beginning – it was one of those briefs where I felt an immediate inspiration while in the middle of being assigned the deliverables, so I found it to be a great springboard to create design work out of.
Why did you pick the glue stick as your boring item? And the beauty industry?
I chose the beauty industry due to it being the sector I'd most like to work in because of my own personal interests in it, so I could create something with a personal engagement.
For the glue stick, I looked at each of the objects assigned and picked apart what aspects of them could benefit from being in the sector, and the "applicator" feature of the glue felt it had potential to create a fitting brand and product. For example, the use of the "twizzle" balm applicator and the cylindrical shape had an overlap with how many beauty products are packaged.
Tell us a bit about your research and creative processes…
Throughout the process, I took from both digital and physical resources to create my branding. This included going into retail stores to look how makeup physically "feels" to hold and look, as well as shopping in stationary sections to find a balance between the sector and object. I also did a lot of primary and secondary research by creating surveys to help me narrow down my insight.
For digital processes, I created multiple brand route boards, which started very open-ended and then were narrowed down with the help of feedback.
Lastly, I created scamps throughout my process, for things such as photography direction, packaging layouts, and ad campaigns.
What was the most difficult or challenging part of the project? How did you overcome it?
The most difficult part of the process was trying to figure what direction I wanted my brand to go visually. I had my behind-the-scenes branding missions and insights, but was stuck between choosing a more conventional, editorial style (which would fit our current trend of makeup branding) and going in the complete opposite direction. I decided on the latter route after feedback, due to how it would both challenge me and set my brand apart from similar brands of that sector.
What was your favourite part of the project?
My favourite part of the project was both the copywriting and the hands-on photography. I love copywriting in general, and being able to go in any direction I wanted really helped me play to my strengths and be able to empathise the message of self-expression in my brand.
In my design process, I went on physical photoshoots, finding the smoking areas of bars and clubs and creating lifestyle imagery that reflects the messy, chaotic side of both clubbing and makeup.
What did you learn from your day in the Brandon studio with Bryony?
I learnt that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in making a brand work, and a lot of decisions that must be made. It's a very intricate and experimental process, and it showed that the method of creating a brand can expand as far as you want it to go, with successful brands finding that sweet spot between being under-explained and being too convoluted.
I also got to see how the development processes of working with clients go, how ideas are pitched, and the different stages that go before the final project launches.
Let's talk dream job...
I see myself having a career in design after University, due to my love in communicating ideas as well as creating visuals in a range of different ways, such as textiles and makeup.
In terms of a specific career, I see myself wanting to go into a field like Branding or Strategy due to the emphasis on thought processes and figuring out how to best communicate a message to your ideal audience. I also can see myself going into specific areas such as Copywriting or Advertising due to my personal enjoyment in writing copy and pairing it with the visuals.
And finally, what’s next for you?
I am set to start my Third Year of my degree in September, where we will be able to create our Final Major Projects for one of our assignments. Until then, I am currently applying for design internships and reaching out to other designers who I can collaborate with on projects, as well as taking the time to work on personal projects such as finishing my Portfolio site.
You can check out Grace's portfolio website or connect with her on LinkedIn.