Objective
To reflect cultural attributes of the specific food, country, culture or region. Create an original name/brand for the products—clearly connect your product’ concepts to originating influences. Consider the target audience and end-user. Consider life-style values to reflect: organically grown or fair trade practices vs. processed or unfair labor laws and have your solutions reflect as such. Design a ‘series’ or ‘multiples’ approach—different flavor or types, but all with the same packaging dimensions; solutions should contain your food in an efficient manner; keep materials simple, most likely paper driven. Use appropriate space on the containers to explain and connect to aspects of the culture and the role the food plays in the country or region’s history. The three variants will highlight different segments of this storytelling opportunity. Incorporate product logotype, color, texture or other brand assets to establish connection between the three variants, but also create variations within the series to distinguish each. Include ingredients, measured volume, amounts or weight, fair trade logos, etc.
Packaging and Style Inspiration
I wanted a picnic basket look and gingham pattern like the ones on aprons from Mexico.
Cultural Background - Mexico
Persona
María is a 36 year old stay at home Mexican mom, with her 3 kids, and husband. Before her daily chores she has a cup of coffee with a side of cookies. She is not the only one with a sweet tooth in her household, her kids sneak a couple cookies to throw in their backpack or as a treat for the end of the day. Cookies may not be high in nutritional value, but they bring the whole family joy and the warmth of consuming a treat from their culture with the flavors of Mexico.
Name Ideas
Brand Name Ideas
- Go-ookie
- Qookie
- Kuki
- Kúki
- Quki
- Mi Casita
- LOAF
- Costurero de Galletas
- Sueñitos
- Buen Provecho
Structure Testing
Packaging and Brand Identity Sketches
Brand Identity Logo
Color Palette
Iconography
Packaging Design
Photoshoot
The fonts used also relate to typefaces that bring a sense of familiarity with other fonts used in packaging from Mexico. Even the white and colorful stroke in the title of Kukis is a callback to many other food or dessert packaging in Mexico. Kukis has created a packaging that could be universally liked not only based on location but across the ages. Its soft nature in colors will make you want to bring it out to share. The gingham pattern is also a connecting to a picnic cloth and the bow packaging is designed like a wrapped picnic basket, which indicates that these cookies are meant to be shared with family or friends to share the love.
Not only was my intent to have the flavors remind people of home but have this product introduce new flavors to people who have not experienced fruit with cookies. Strawberry is not something unknown for people in America, but I would say pineapple is less familiar or common. This was why it was important for me to incorporate Spanish and English throughout the packaging for past or new buyers.
The Mi Casita brand that created Kukis was founded by a brother and sister duo. The design choice of having an illustrated rolling pin was to demonstrate their interest in centering their products based on baked goods. The illustration creates a child-like, cozy, fun, and familiar item that are commonly seen in homes. They intend to be memorable and to provide the buyer with a feeling of entering their casita (home) and having desserts shared around the family.
I created a product that reflects the cultural attributes of cookies, flavors, patterns, and typefaces relating to Mexico. With the inclusion of cookies shaped in a bar, it represents the cultural aspect of them playing with innovative non-commonly used shapes in their cookies like the loaf or bar-shaped cookies in this packaging. Kukis includes fun flavors that remind you of tropical tastes in Mexico, strawberry, berry, and pineapple. These sweet treats include organic ingredients and are fair trade certified. Kuki’s packaging is designed with gingham reminiscent of the mandiles (aprons) from Mexico that your mom or grandma would wear in the kitchen.
Brand Expansion
