Signet Branding partner with º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Design students to produce novel packaging designs

Luxury packaging design and enhancement specialists, Signet Branding presented students with an opportunity to respond to their live industry brief.

The design brief asked students to develop and create a novel bottle packaging design, including one functional embellishment and 2D carton graphic design. Students were able to choose between a range of fictitious spirit and fragrance brands, and their designs should draw the eye in a busy in-store or online retail environment while creating a theatre for the senses.

Students were required to consider the brand’s language, including an embellishment with an additional function, user experience, and to demonstrate sustainable design thinking.

The following students were awarded:

First Place – Alev Giray

Alev Giray - Calanais

Student comments:

“Born in the highlands, the bottle captures the essence of Calanais. My design is a luxury item and is to be enjoyed on special occasions. The design features a cowbell inspired keyring embellishment that can be pulled out once the bottle has been finished as a memento to cherish memories experienced with Calanais. The mountains represent the jagged peaks of the Scottish highlands, where the fairy tale of Calanais takes place. As the bottle is to be bought in store, the packaging needed to be designed to highlight the key features by creating glass cut-outs on the top and bottom.”

Second Place – Nick Lucas

Nick Lucas - Calanais

Student comments:

“Calanais is a Scotch Whiskey brand that originated in the Scottish Highlands. When I was designing the bottle, I focused on preserving the brand’s history through its packaging and the functional embellishment that comes with it. The embellishment is two decorative bowls that look like small mountains, which can slide off the bottle after use. This works well with the target market, as they are likely to be ‘outdoorsy’ people or tourists. Another focus of mine during the design process was to consider sustainability. The bowls encourage the user to repurpose the product after use, rather than dispose of it, while the glass and cork can be easily recycled separately.”

Third Place – Sebastian Hamdan

Sebastian Hamdan - Estar Piripi

"The branding of Estar Piripi is heavily rooted in the imagery and geography of the town from which its key drink derives its namesake, Tequila, Jalisco Mexico. Therefore, to effectively convey the cultural semiotics behind the brand, deliberate design choices were made. The shape of bottle was modelled after the YTR-5330MRC trumpet, the labelling features the outline of the Jalisco region and the embellishment being a vibrant linen poncho showcasing the iconography of the blue agave plant."

The first prize is an opportunity to walk the luxury packaging show in London with the Signet Branding team, to explore the industry and get designer perspective. The first, second, and third winners will also be given the opportunity to present their portfolios to the Signet Branding team for review and feedback.

Speaking of the partnership, Jake Wise, Lead Designer at Signet Branding commented:

“At Signet, we believe in the transformative power of design. That's why we are committed to supporting and nurturing the immense talent and potential in the next generation of designers at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. By fostering innovation, encouraging creativity and design thinking, our partnership with the University creates a platform for these emerging designers to shine using real-life briefs. It also helps to secure a future where imagination knows no bounds in the luxury packaging industry and beyond.”

Nikki Clark, Module Leader also explains that:

“At º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ School of Design and Creative Arts we strive to equip our students with the creative toolkit they will need to have successful design careers once they leave University. Collaborating with industry partners such as Signet Branding is essential in our teaching to give students an experience of real-life design within their academic studies.”

Congratulations to all our students!