OVERVIEW

The unprecedented pandemic of 2020 has changed how we live and interact with the world. With this in mind, we decided to shape our Christmas gifts around this new way of living.

Our Christmas gift, one we've called 'Seriously Essential Goods' is a set of practical items we've mindfully curated given what's happening in the world while trying to capture our feelings of vulnerability at this moment in time.

WHAT WE DID

Creative Direction
Packaging Design
Santa's Little Helpering

PROJECT TEAM

Creative Direction: Deane Miguel & Kookie Santos
Project Lead: Reena Mesais
Lead Design: Lazir Caluya
Photography: Paolo Geronimo 

The pandemic has shifted our lifestyle. There are now certain non-negotiables in dealing with every day, whether you are staying at home, grabbing groceries, or going for a short walk outside, the need for safety is more important than ever. Our goal with this gift set was to convey the essentialist nature of these non-negotiables: a cleansing gel, a sanitizer, and a face mask—as well as offer a sense of relief and a nod to sustainability.

We began the process by thinking expansively about how to best represent kindness, understanding, vulnerability, and a sense of encouragement via a stripped down design and a well-intended packaging that will serve as the “unique take” on our hero products.

We ended up with a direction that symbolizes everything that we were all forced to go back to (simplicity) and the emotions that have gathered since (poetry). Monolined pictograms are paired with a “poetic,” polished, elegant, and sleek serif font, overall balancing out the essentialism of the collection.

Because it is a Serious Studio initiative, we also made sure to inject our ethos, Make Sense and Look Good, into the rest of the copy that’s written to be editorial, encouraging, and thoughtful of the times and feelings of every receiver.

Being mindful about what is happening in the world also pushed us to think more beyond graphic design and copy, and reflect it to the packaging. Our commitment to sustainability showed in the choice of reusable glass amber bottles, biodegradable & plant-based gel cleanser, and labels produced with rock paper—of course, with some pizzaz in the form of foil and UV Spot printing on some elements. It’s the holidays, after all.