"Fancy a snog?"

 

I recently had my long awaited visit to Snog in Soho. I remember a few months ago seeing the shop in Covent Garden bordered up with a massive vibrant pink poster quoting "Tell us about your first snog...” I was immediately intrigued by this fresh attitude to branding and it was the first time I had ever even heard of Snog Frozen Yogurt. I logged on to the website when I got home and I made sure that I would visit one of the Snog bars on my next visit back to London.

The interior of the place is enchantingly amazing. The bubbly lights in the ceiling really set a cool and urban mood. The 'green grass' floor and white stools reminded me of the 'grass studio' in the School of Design at Leeds University. 

Although the interior design (Cinimod Studio) is definitely the main attraction of Snog, I reckon that the Snog identity plays a very significant part in the 'hype' for a 'Snog'. 

ico design came up with the branding identity for Snog. "The Snog name, coined by ico, is derived from ‘Snow & Yogurt’ and is the perfect solution for a bold, young, urban and British brand. In effect, the name informed the entire creative concept. A fun and infectious copy-led approach followed. Bright pop colours and an edgy typographic style completed the brand".

The campaigns for Snog are so successful because the vibrant colours just hit you when you first take a glance and tempts you to engage with the cheeky concept behind the branding. The concept of using 'snogging' as a means to get people to have a frozen yogurt is very clever, as anyone walking past a big slogan like "Fancy a snog?" will most definitely stop to find out what is being advertised. It's kind of like using a shock factor, but of course in a very mild sense. 

This is by far one of the best methods of branding and promotion I have come across. An exciting colour palette, quirky typography and an eccentric concept.

Oded Ezer- I ❤ Milton

Wow. This is a recent poster designed by Israeli typographic artist Oded Ezer. Extremely talented guy.

"This 70x100 cm poster is a homage to Milton Glaser, whose famous I ❤ NY logo is one of the things that stuck into my mind forever. Glaser's design is simple and direct, and I felt it will be still recognisable even if I will make it more complicated"

 

My Birthday Present!

It was my 21st birthday on the 19th February and my parents got me a 13 inch Macbook Pro! It's really supposed to be used for when I'm on my year in industry (it will be impossible to drag my iMac around!) but I couldn't resist taking it into university today. The glowing keyboard and Apple logo is amazing!

I also decided to treat myself to a bag specifically designed for the 13 inch Macbook Pro. It's a bag designed by Ally Capellino and her bags give us a chance to carry our macs in a protective yet stylish way. I got the Satchel in Charcoal. Check out her selection of laptop bags on her website.

Free People Graphic Design

I regularly check the Free People website just to look at the ever-changing Graphic Design. I’ve always been a fan of biro art and I think the biro typography used for the website gives the brand a young and quirky image. It’s very reminiscent of biro design by Billie Jean.

This Free People store sign is very similar to flocked/baroque and rococo pattern design, influenced in my cover design for my Illustrated Book.

Check out the Free People website now; there’s a really cool rolling slideshow of fashion shots on a photograph negative strip.

My Corner of Inspiration

 

I came across this site the other day Inspiration: PingMag's Desk Project and I thought that I'd give you a glimpse of my desk in my room at university. I do believe that the environment you work in can have a big impact on the way you work. My desk must always be clean and tidy but filled with influential design. 

I transformed a horrible brown desk to what I like to call my 'corner of inspiration'. (I ran out of white paint for the doors!). It's quite a high desk so I bought a swivel bar stool which is actually really comfy when I'm on my imac, giving the corner a slight retro look. On the desk surface, I stuck a load of music flyers for Ministry of Sound, Leeds University Union and clubs around Leeds and then covered over it in sticky-back plastic. The walls around me are covered with cards from different A5 Magazine issues. I look at these A5 visuals every day and I admit that I do get a lot of inspiration from them when in my initial ideas process of thought. My magazine rack holds a few of my issues of Grafik Magazine, Creative Review, Idn, Plastique, Design Week, Computer Arts and Digital Arts which I regularly look at.

My books include Tricia Guild's 'Pattern', Victionary's 'Musikgraphics' (my favourite book), Alan Fletcher's 'The Art of Looking Sideways', Andrew Hasam's 'Type and Typography', Catalog of Type, Hand Job by Michael Perry and Illusive Volume 1. 

My shelf displays a few of my favourite CD packaging: Keane 'Under The Iron Sea' which includes designs my Sanna Annukka, A5 Magazine 'The Remix Issue', Spiritualized 'Let It Come Down' designed by Mark Farrow, a sampler CD by Virgin and two of my own packaging- Justin Timberlake 'I Think She Knows' and my limited edition 'Karen' packaging which holds 9 visual song cards.

Above my desk is my A2 Phobia Poster. 

Illustrated Book

A recent Digital Design brief required me to produce an ‘Illustrated Book’ about myself to potential employers. Music has always been a big part of my life and music CD artwork is very inspirational to me, so I decided to present the book in a CD/Record case form. 

 

The case holds 9 carefully cut mountboards representing a song; one side, a vector image and the other side, a few lyrics from the song. I chose 9 songs that are relevant to the present stage in my life, my personality and hopes for the future. I made the case out of black card and flocked crushed velvet material.  

The design of the case is very ‘baroque’ style, a decorative pattern that is almost always used with flocked material. It’s a ‘limited edition’ case- limited edition book and limited edition me! The colour scheme is very vibrant with all of the vector images consistently in black. The case can then be fastened with black velvet ribbon.

I love my book. It’s now on display at my desk :)

2x4 packaging design for Nike- Exhibition in China

Check out this Nike packaging- it’s brilliant! 2x4 Design are responsible for this clever, environmentally friendly packaging, designed to hold a pair of trainers inside.         

The packaging is made from recycled cardboard with minimal graphics printed on. The packaging was designed based around China’s desire for ‘lightness and sustainability’. You can view more work by 2x4 on their website.