Menstrual Branding and Packaging Design: be
Designed by: Bianca Misuraca
Outside view of the final product.
Thesis Statement:
Create a menstruation product line that uses design to invoke comfort within adolescents, while providing them with the resources and materials needed.
Research:
When choosing a thesis topic I came across the idea of menstruation, I knew I was going to have to seek information that focused on more than the organs in the body. I learned that menstruation has a lot of stereotypes tied to it and a large audience with negative views towards menstruation. For those who experience menstruation it's more than just cramps and bloating from time to time. Menstruation can cause a lot of stress and sometimes fear inside people if they don't feel prepared in situations, or comfortable talking about what they are going through.
Mind and information mapping.
What was shocking to me, and what I would say led me to the path I took, was some adolescents can start their period as young as eight years old. Talking to outsiders and reading about experiences online I learned there are a lot of people who run into the situation of feeling nervous and not always prepared. I also came across a lot of people who had problematic or traumatic experiences. I started to realize early on I wanted to create something that would help adolescents through menstruation.
Mood board of existing product designs and promotional pieces.
Goals
- Avoid Stereotypes.
- Create a product that feels inclusive.
- Feel fun, while avoiding talking down to my audience.
- Allow the user to have reassurance about what they are going through.
I wanted to create something that felt inclusive for those experiencing menstruation. A lot of the research I did was focused on the existing designs and products out there now for those who menstruate, but I also looked at other products and areas that would interest my target audience.
Mood board of existing interests and designs for products that are for my target audience.
Sketches
In my early sketches, when I was figuring out the direction this project was going in I had a lot of ideas for potential products. One idea I spent some time sketching out was a product that would act as a communication device possibly in a household that young adolescents could leave out and through its presence it would indicate that someone is on their period. The more I worked with that idea, I realized that it wasn't allowing the user to actually feel good about menstruation and it might be covering it up.
Sketches of early ideas for possible products.
Throughout more of my sketches I was looking at activities that could help ease nerve, products that would identify with my audience better, and different ways to communicate to my audience how my product works.
Process
When I decided that my project was going to be a brand that would comfort adolescents during their time of need I began sketching for my brand. I started brainstorming names, ideas for the identity, products to be featured, and many other ideas that came to mind.
Early ideas for the brand and experimenting with texture.
I started thinking about shapes and colors that would be playful but with a bit of modern and older appeal. I wanted to come up with the name for my brand early on, and when I thought of “be” I thought it was too simple at first and tried to think of more. After more thought, I realized how the word “be” could be applied and the fact that it was short almost made it playful. I also tried out different typefaces and when I came across Urbana, I thought it was bold and fun, fitting for my brand.
Name and identity brainstorming.
I was working with shapes and trying to pick colors that would stand out. I also started to experiment with chalk pastels and when I realized I had some interesting textures I thought I could use those as something to really resemble a playful quality and combine them with some sort of graphics.
Chalk pastel textures combined with digital elements.
When I started sketching faces as one of my ideas I liked the route that was going in but when I pushed them into forms I thought the people I made were more successful.
Left: Early sketches of figures. Right: How my figures and forms could be applied together.
Application
When I decided how I wanted my application to be applied and what elements I was going to use for my brand, I started applying them to the boxes I was going to use. I designed my boxes to have a simple appearance on the outside and when it's pulled apart, my design works as a surprise on the inside.
Final figures created and applied to the packaging.
Example of how the design was applied to two of my boxes and the packaging for the included products.
Menstrual cup application.
Top: Pad application. Bottom: Underwear application.
Tampon application.
Box for products to come in and a bag for products.
Fold out menu for first time subscribers, people who have already subscribed will receive a slightly different version. Both feature a QR code taking the user to the website.
Website
I also created a website that I wanted to come across as easy to use and playful in style. The use for the website is to have the user create a profile and they are able to order products that they can get shipped to their house! The website offers a little more information about the brand and products. It gives the use the choice to choose what products they would like sent to them, and have the choice of what color the products come in. The website allows the user to subscribe to have some products sent to them for a certain amount of time and they have the option to change or cancel that.
Website wireframes.
Adolescent and parent on website homepage.
Website walkthrough.
Sources
Visual:
Stein, Elissa. Flow: the Cultural Story of Menstruation. St. Martin's Griffin, 2009.
Behance. (n.d.). Menstruation projects: Photos, videos, logos, illustrations and branding on Behance. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.behance.net/search?tracking_source=typeahead_search_direct&search=menstruation
Design for taboo of menstruation and well-being of women in India. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://diopd.org/design-for-taboo-of-menstruation-and-well-being-of-women-in-india/
Gosling, W. (2020, September 01). The Designers Smashing Period Taboos Once and For All. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://elephant.art/periods-menstruation-taboo-designers-health-body-25082020/
Periods. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.dezeen.com/tag/period-related-design/
Kristi PahrNovember, and Kristi Pahr. “Period Shaming: A Not-So New Type of Bullying Parents Need to Know About.” Parents, 4 Nov. 2019, www.parents.com/kids/problems/bullying/period-shaming-is-a-kind-of-bullying-parents-need-to-be-aware-of/.
Laura. “Unique Library Designs for Children.” Bookinitat50, 1 Jan. 1970, bookinitat50.blogspot.com/2013/09/unique-library-designs-for-children.html.
Written:
Bobel, C., Winkler, I. T., Fahs, B., Hasson, K. A., Kissling, E. A., & Roberts, T. (Eds.). (2020). The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
Critchley, H., Babayev, E., Bulun, S. E., Clark, S., Gracia-Grau, L., Gergersen, P. K., . . . Griffth, L. G. (2020, November). Menstruation: Science and society [Editorial]. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 223(5), 624-664. Retrieved 2021, from https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy.library.wmich.edu/science/article/pii/S0002937820306190?via%3Dihub.
Grosz, E., Antonelli, P., & Jackson, R. (2014, April 09). Menstruation Machine (Sputniko!). Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2013/designandviolence/menstruation-machine-sputniko/
Kulczyk, D. (2019). Menstruation. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://kulczykfoundation.org.pl/en/menstruation
Morley, M. (2019, January 09). Finally, Sophisticated Tampon Packaging Design for Women Sick of Feminine Clichés. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/finally-sophisticated-tampon-packaging-design-for-women-sick-of-feminine-cliches/
Ross, L., Collins, C., Dillard, C., KwekSociety, HeatherMDixon, & Alpeters. (n.d.). Equity, Period. Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2019/equity-period
“All About Periods (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth.” Edited by Krishna Wood White, KidsHealth, The Nemours Foundation, Oct. 2018, kidshealth.org/en/teens/menstruation.html#:~:text=Most%20girls%20get%20their%20first,body%20has%20its%20own%20schedule.
“Menstruation in Adolescents: The Importance of Using Menses as a Vital Sign.” Nationwide Children's Hospital, www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2019/07/menstruation-in-adolescents.
“Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign.” ACOG, www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2015/12/menstruation-in-girls-and-adolescents-using-the-menstrual-cycle-as-a-vital-sign.
