Morning Makeover (Student Project)

Designer: Gemma Schlotthauer
Project Type: Student Project
School: University of Wisconsin-Stout
Course: Intro to 2D Digital Imaging
Tutor: Karl Koehle
Location: Menomonie, WI
Packaging Contents: Vitamin Enhanced Juice
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Cardboard
Printing Process: Digital Printing

The goal of this project was to create a beverage carton that appealed to a target audience of 30-50 year olds using a cardboard die cut template. I wanted to choose a product that was going to be both appealing to a wide audience but unexpected, so I came up with a line of hangover remedy morning juices.

Heavy drinking is something that is mostly looked down upon by 30-50 year olds, especially in midwestern America. Living in Minnesota and Wisconsin, I see this every day. Many have settled down and had kids, but there’s a desire to have the occasional sense of freedom. I wanted to design a hangover cure that could sit proudly on shelves at grocery stores, without mothers feeling ashamed to place it in their cart. A lot like how high schoolers feel awkward buying condoms, many parents could feel awkward purchasing something that’s going to cure their night of letting loose. They might fear others judging them as irresponsible or neglectful to their children. And although the drinking itself isn’t looked down upon, because liquor is sold almost everywhere, it’s the hangover that people get crap for. Unfortunately, what people need to realize is that they are pretty inevitable after so many drinks are consumed.

In order to combat this issue, my product is designed to encourage women that having a night out with the girls is a reward for working hard all week. I chose a 1950’s inspired design because retro seems to be shifting back into modern culture. “If it’s vintage, it’s classy.” Although most 30-50 year olds of today never experienced the 1950’s, especially among women, there is this cultural desire to live in the past. It makes the classy feel understood and the not-so-classy feel as though they are classy.

The colors chosen are saturated but also very dilute to display a sense of freshness but to not be overwhelming. If someone with a headache is going to be drinking this, I didn’t want to colors of the packaging to only perpetuate that headache. Also, the colors the main identifier of the flavor inside. I wanted my line of products to be consistent so that they could be sold in a multi-pack, but also differentiate enough so flavors could be easily identified.

I also wanted to consider the shape of the juice box and how that would appeal to my audience. Standard cubic juice boxes can be read as juvenile and unsophisticated. The octagonal shape of my juice box aims to be ideal for both the sophisticated social culture of the consumer and for the comfort fit of the consumer’s hand.

As for the function of the beverage, I chose a series of flavors that each have components that fight different symptoms of a hangover: coconut, banana, and ginger. The functions of these flavors are described on the left side of the packaging, to explain to the consumer how the beverage would be helping them. I also wanted the bottle to be resealable for two reasons: Each drink contains 2 servings for easy sharing, and I wanted the beverage to be easy for transportation for parents that are on the go.

What’s Unique?
Regarding what’s unique about by project, the biggest aspect is probably the overall concept. Although there are already hangover cures out there in the world, most are very small, medical-looking bottles sold in the pharmaceutical section. This would be placed on a shelf in the grocery section smack dab in the middle of all the other standard juices. This is a product that shouldn’t have to be hid or scavenged for. I don’t want women to feel like they have to run to the self check-out in order to buy this. There is an unappreciated value in a parent taking the night off to feel young again. Although their college days will never come back, there is a classy and enjoyable cache that comes along with drinking as an adult, and that’s what I’m trying to encourage.

Also the design is meant to modernize retro ideologies and inspire a sense of living within nostalgia, which I think diverts from the standard modern & minimalist packaging designs that you see a lot of now in grocery stores.

The shape of the bottle is standard but unique, resembling the coconut water bottles currently sold in stores. It’s meant to reflect both boldness and simplicity. It’s different enough, but not intimidating.