I created this simple bottle label for a client that asked for a work that would be very simple and easy to produce. Being just a small business, the client asked me to produce a very clean, “mom and pop” shop type label that would not demand a lot in terms of printing, replicating and cutting since they will be doing it herself.  Nonetheless, the label would still be very representative of the brand, its culture and what its trying to communicate. Much of what you see here is just half of what is done, the other part being the print-ready files, the editable labels, swatches and guides to help her along the way.

I created this annual for Running Room as a student project. Rather than focusing on financials, statistics and other corporate reports, I wanted to approach this project by presenting the year for the company in a more “humanistic” and honest manner, without losing touch of the content and what needs to be reported in such a document.

With this strategy in mind, I used the stories, experiences and passions of different runners as a metaphor to the journey of the company. The highs, lows and narratives of runners from different levels, both inside and outside the company in some way paralleled the year the company has undergone. I wanted this annual to be a story rather than a report and one that not only accomplishes what is set to do, but at the same time, reaches out and engages its viewers.

This one-off for Boston Marathon is a prime example of using one’s limits to communicate limitlessness. Given just a single page with a single visual, we were asked to pose a challenge to the best amateur runners in the world and invite them to join North America’s most prestigious marathon. I simply used the vertical layout of the page to show the steep climb to Boston.

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. I’ve been lucky enough to be given the opportunity to share these special occasions with my friends in a manner that  excites me (no impromptu sing and dance numbers thank you).  Throughout the years, I’ve been working on a lot of wedding materials, from tent cards, invites to placeholders, all tailored to the vision and theme of the bride (and sometimes, the groom). I often see my role as less of a “designer” but more of a translator  and communicator of what already has been created and formed in the mind and vision of my clients.

As a freshman in design school, one of my first actual projects was to create a web portfolio for my good friend and make-up artist Carmie Locsin. I did not expect that coding the website was the “easier” part, when much of the load was filled in creating a solid brand strategy and design concept that would best represent and speak of my client.

The goal was to represent an impressive body of work that communicated the playfulness and professionalism of the client. The result was a very slick and modern presentation, with an interactive element that let’s you “play” on the gallery and narrates both the experience and process of her work.

Packaging is all about going out of the box, with the a box. I always welcome the challenge of working my hands and creating a tangible object that expresses the brand through a medium we often overlook but is nonetheless essential.

This packaging exploration for The Chai Company, was a great test in communicating the experience and values of both the product and the brand. The calm, peace, bliss and experience of tea time were key contributors I took in when creating a dieline that would express a similar look and feel.

The use of curves not only made the packaging pop out against other packed chai concentrates, but extends an invitation to its audience to experience the brand and the product.

For my independent project, I wanted to do a socially relevant project that touches on health-particularly, the youth’s. This decade has seen an overwhelming number of obesity and health issues in our kids, directly resulting from the lack of proper nutrition and diet. Healthy foods, fruits and vegetables have taken a beating from the multimillion dollar fast food industries that have so greatly marketed, advertised and push their products to our kids. At the same time, parents (the main decision makers), have ran out of options to purchase, create and engage their kids with healthy food.

I saw this as an opportunity to counter the fast food industry by creating a campaign similar to what has made them so successful and popular for years: the happy meal.

Taking inspiration from pop culture, multimedia and “kid appeal”, I wanted to package healthy foods in such a way that would get the attention and attract not only kids, but offer parents a fast, interactive and healthy substitute to their children’s meal. The key was not only to attract children with a fun, pop packaging, but to engage parents in teaching and creating awareness of healthy eating with their kids. The project centers on the Munchsters brand, a group of characters bundled up with nutritious treats for kids.

I wanted the packaging to be fun and look fun at the same time. By transforming the lunch box into a playing environment, and packaging different food viands into characters, I was able to bring in an interactive aspect to the experience of eating an otherwise “boring” meal.

As a cyclist, it was only right for me to create something that I not only love, but live and breathe (and pedal). This doodle turned full blown project takes a snapshot of the unending road of a cyclist.

One of my earlier student projects is this print ad for Norco bikes. With the strategy of expressing the concept of being “one with the bike”, I used x-rays of bike-related injuries to communicate and connect the toughness, grit and joyful pains of the biker, and the bike.

Looking closely, I was that there was no need to overhaul the work that was already done. A little simplifying, kerning and Photoshopping can go a long way in bringing out a more “pro” look to a brand.

Here are some snapshots of how the logo was used in-store as well as on their other materials.

photo from: http://dapattylaurel.blogspot.com/

Working hand in hand with our pastor, we transformed the logo from an old 80′s inspired visual into a more timeless piece that was clean, clear and direct. Taking inspiration from our references ( the Bible) we were able to decide on a core theme and visual, which is what you see here. Amen!

I wanted a logo that was cleaner, more pronounced and defined and light on the eyes. By stepping away from the elements and “bad habits” of your traditional school logo, I made Merry Bells logo stand on its own and assert it’s time-tested name and brand, without loosing touch of the essence that has made it home for thousands of kids throughout the years. Hopefully, this new one will last a couple of more decades.

My love for coffee overflows with my love for logos and branding. Using visible language and vectors as my weapon of choice,  I homogenized the letter G, a coffee bean and a heart to come up with a logo for Gusto Coffee.

]]> http://androdesign.com/2012/01/20/gusto-coffee/feed/ 0