For my first level C degree project I was assigned the task of deigning a new bottle based on an existing brand. The brief was based around the issue of air travel hand luggage restrictions, limiting passangers to carry containers no larger than 100ml. I chose to focus on Wella Shockwaves hair products, and subsequently designed a 100ml bottle to contain hair gel. While some other brands have already produced and sell smaller containers of such products, Shockwaves had not yet branched out to this area of the market.

 

I chose Shockwaves as the brand stands out from the market with a very strong corporate identity, using consistent vibrant colours across the product range. The company also has an unconventional approach to branding with bold, striking and often humorous advertising campaigns.

 

My initial task was to research the chosen brand. I needed to understand the target market, study the design of their existing product range and identify the consistencies in design that defined their identity. By understanding these things, I could allow my design and development process to be creative and original, yet include the key details that would allow my own design to fit in with the existing range.

 

After several weeks of research and development I had come up with a final design, which kept the geometry of the original full size bottle, but with the addition of an angular profile and sharper contours. I then spent time producing a prototype of this form in the workshop, using Vacuum formed sheet HIPS (High Impact PolyStyrene). I produced two prototypes, one blank and sanded to a smooth finish, the other spray painted to give a clearer visual of the final product.

 

The final part of the task was to design a presentation board, essentially a piece of advertising for the new product. In keeping with the Shockwaves image, I wanted this to be bold, striking and eye catching, while emphasising the air-travel nature of the product.