OUGD603: Brief 15 - YCN Yorkshire Tea // Design Stage 01

After working through some research which Adam and I previously had undertaken, we began to work through the assets provided by Yorkshire Tea in the YCN package, to see how they could be modified and applied to the product. 

The existing Yorkshire Tea logo, which to use looked quite dated and blocky. It wasn't as dynamic as we would've liked it to be. Our research pointed to fresh logos, such as the Dorset Tea logo for example.  

We removed the black box and outline from around the Yorkshire Tea logo, discarding the red outline, creating a clean logotype, which with a transparent background allows it much more versatile, being able to work with the imagery around it. In this particular example, we tried to raise the E's point size, to match the Y. Although this balanced the visuals, it changed how the logo sounded, adding emphasis to the E, which wasn't needed. 

We tried to adjust the composition of the typography, moving the Tea to the first line, to sit with the Yorkshire. However, the compromised the subheading, Taylors of Harrogate, as it no longer could sit centrally aligned in the logo. 

After decided to leave the composition alone, we then looked at how the logo would work with imagery. Our research showed the competitors using imagery with worked as a wrap around on the packaging.

The main competitor, Dorset Tea, used an illustrative style on their packaging, it looks really good. Fresh, modern and vibrant. Unfortunately, the painting style which is used around the box for Yorkshire Tea looks extremely dated, in comparison. So we've decided to use Photography as the main imagery for Yorkshire Tea – which will allow us to capture the scenery of Yorkshire, but in a more modern way. 

We also tried experimenting with how we could keep the Yorkshire Tea red in the packaging, as not to alienate the brand colour. 

Applying a red overlay keeps the brands colour in, however it over powers the image – perhaps a more subtle overlay may work better. 

Then focusing on the main imagery, trying to capture Yorkshire through photography. We've sourced these images from Google, but we are planning to head out and take our own images for the packaging. The images will be in the form of a panorama, so they wrap around the packaging. 

The images used are all very 'step back', looking at the vast rolling hills, the beautiful natural views and the historic attractions such as the steam railways and the viaducts. Using these almost makes Yorkshire look more powerful, a beautiful area with stunning natural beauty. 

The refined logo works particularly well with the images, as it's stripped back nature allows for the image to pass through the transparent parts, rather than being obscured by the black frame. The lack of complexity in the logo also allows for the image to feel more dominant, drawing attention to it. Visually, it looks far more pleasing and modern. Which is what we're after, as our audience is much younger. 

Quick visual mock up we created in illustrator to show how the box might work, and how the imagery may pan out. Removing the red from the imagery allows the red on the lip of the lid to stand out more. The box visually looks so much more organised, and clear. 

We plan to capture a panorama, so we're able to wrap the imagery around the box, certainly to the sides, and perhaps even the back, if it looks right – however, we'll need space for the copy on the current Yorkshire tea box. 

Integrating the slogan for Yorkshire Tea. 'Let's have a proper brew'. We attempted to see if an arching composition would work, to mirror the rolling hills – it doesn't. 

We ended up keeping the layout fairly similar to the original box, but with the updated imagery, it just looked fresh and clean – much more modern than the original box. 

We tried adding a stroke around the quantity box, however this just made the design more complex, which we want to avoid, so we removed it. 

We attempted to a more rounded lip, which secures the lid to the front panel of the box, however it didn't really feel as strong as the current version – square with rounded corners. So we decided to keep it as it is. Doing this will keep some familiarity in the design. The goal really is to keep the brand as familiar as possible, however refresh it enough to feel different and new. 

Rough design of the box, the spacing and typography will be tightened up following a critique. 

OUGD603: Brief 10 - Japan RWC 2019 // Style Research

OUGD603: Brief 15 - YCN Yorkshire Tea // Packaging Research

Today I conducted some primary research, visiting the nearest Waitress to look at some packaging designs for Yorkshire Tea's rival brands. Doing this will allow me to determine not only what the competitors are doing – but also acts as an opportunity to analysis how effective the design of the packaging are, in relation to our brief.

The packaging pictured above are for Rare Tea Co. who are a brand much smaller than Yorkshire Tea. Predominately using patterns across their packaging design, which adds a cleaner and modern feel to the tins. 

The labels which overlays the pattern is clean and simple, using a solid white and black, which allows the main content to stand out, clearly, against the pattern. 

The attractive patterns used around the tins help the product appeal to a younger audience, the look fresh and new, perhaps even collectable for the products robust reusability. As opposed to the very dated watercolour image which appears on the box for Yorkshire Tea, currently.

The boxes for Brew Tea Co. Loose tea, rather than tea bags. Has a very clean design, but it doesn't really work in the same category as that of Yorkshire Tea. It's almost quite hipster and 'on trend', rather than sustainable design. It doesn't really have any sort of impact to the design. Yorkshire Tea has been known to remind the consumers of Yorkshire and it's amazing scenery. Adopting a minimal design stance would impact the design of which negatively. 

The green tea options from Yorkshire Tea's parent company 'Taylors of Harrogate'. The colours allow the box to stand out on the shelf, and also help represent the product. Assuming that the colours are based on the colour of the tea itself. The design is very clean and modern. 

The packaging for Charbew. This looks unrefined to me. It used a teacup at the base of the packaging, with the inside of the cup acting as a window to the product. However, the product are tea bags – they look quite awkward, stuffed into the mug. A tea bag is a tea bag, I don't think a window is needed. 

The Twinings Christmas Tea used a similar style to Rare Tea Co. Using a pattern across the box, and a solid colour to separate the complex logo from the background. 

OUGD603: Brief 15 - YCN Yorkshire Tea // Tea Branding Study

As part of the research process, I've looked into a few ‘alternative’ tea brands, less mainstream than Yorkshire Tea or Tetley Tea. I found Bare Tea on Dribble, a more alternative tea brand, which uses a leaf icon and a really simple clean logo – I think this modern take on tea would be beneficial to implement into our design. 

The logotype and symbol is really clean and simple, and works beautifully with the symbol. The off black and off-white brand colours, which are sort of on trend. The colour scheme is very fresh and light – which corresponds with the green tea. 

The designer, Salih Kucukaga, explored a range of alternative leaf icon design for the logo, and how they developed to their final stage. Which is really interesting to see. 

The final stem designs, with the colour options added. It's really lovely to see, as the colours have been used to represent different kinds of teas. Such as green teas and breakfast teas. Adam and I could implement this into our design as Yorkshire Tea has various kinds of tea – such as Yorkshire Gold and the variant for Hard Water areas. 

The logo uses modern imagery and typography overplayed on a off-white background, which really makes the colours and the imagery strand out in comparison. 

An overview of the packaging, which wraps around a tin container. The design is very sleek and clean, not cluttered or overly complex. A really strong example of modern packaging. 

The same design the alternative colour for the black tea. Keeping the design the same for both assures that the products work well together as a set. 

OUGD603: Brief 5 - No. 7 Antiques // Further Logo Development

Following the logo development in a previous post, I began to make more tweaks to the logo, in a similar style to before – duplicating a logotype, making an alteration and then duplicating it again. 

I first added in a sense of alignment to the logo, how it sits on the page. The spacing displayed above using a gird system to show how it works. 

I then tightened up the kerning across the board, making the spacing between the 'No' and the '7' tighter, and tweaking that of the 'Antiques'. 

Adding a serif to the 7, which worked in another variation of the logo, and it seems to fit really well here. It adds a rustic old feel to the type, pulling it away from the modern clean san serif font. 

On the back of wanting to create more of a distressed look to the typography, I added a distressed texture to the font, which created worn look – giving the logo some history, like the antiques which would be sold within the shop. 

OUGD603: Brief 5 - No. 7 Antiques // Logo Development

Since I've not really touched this brief in around a month, I decided to have a quick logotype critique.  Looking at the logotypes with fresh eyes, I should be able to spot any issues pretty quickly, before I go back to make any changes. 

Issues with spacing, the kerning between the I and the Q needs tightening up. The spacing between the zero and it's stroke need sorting, perhaps making it half the spacing of the vertical space between the N and the zero. 

Because of the angles of the 7 and the A, are both leaning to the right, the kerning need tightening up a lot, so the space between the two letterforms appears equal. I'm not sure the block filled EST works either, as it's very overpowering. 

Perhaps making the close together serifs into a ligature, which would perhaps make the type flow better – something which I picked up from Chris Murphy during the Work in the Web workshop. 

Adjusting the spacing between the veracity aligned, centred logos so they work coherently based of some sort of formula. 

More kerning tweaks – the spacing between the 0 and the 7 need tightening up. 

No massive overhauls, just small things which could be altered to improve the overall aesthetics of the design.