PickMeUp Goods
Contribution: Creative Direction, Design, & Photography
The Ask
I was approached by a friend with a small candle business that had hopes of turning it into something bigger. That conversation lead to the creation of business that sells products which serve as functional tools that encourage people to make more intentional decisions and create routines that serve the growth and healing of their mental health.
Objectives
-
When exploring names for the company, the goal was to create something short, somewhat literal, and easy to remember. When you see candles in a store, your natural inclination is to pick them up and smell them, so the name acts as an action when the customer sees it. The brand communicates positive messages and the scents have an intended and desired effect, which when they all come together, should act as a pick-me-up for that person.
-
The look and feel is a balance between bold & colorful, and monochromatic. Stylistically, you can find softer characteristics in things like fonts, shapes with rounded corners, and photography that exudes a sense of light-heartedness and silly expressions.
-
When thinking of the tone of the brand, a specific scenario was used to help guide that decision. You know when someone is down and not feeling in a good mood? The tone should find the sweet spot of being playful enough to make that person feel better, but not too over-the-top that you come off as inconsiderate to that person’s feelings. At the end of the day, our goal is to lighten the mood around mental health, so playfulness is at the core.
-
Our social media channels should act as a source of inspiration for those needing to feel positive and supported. With the world of social media having so much negativity, our focus is less about the products and more about helping others, which at its core, is the entire brand’s goal.
Packaging
Looking at other brands and products within the candle space, we noticed that packaging was lacking in the innovation department. Boxes, cylinders, or no packaging at all were the most common found. While our solution isn’t revolutionary, we chose a direction that was more interactive and unexpected. This decision resulted in better real estate for communicating information, and an experience that would be much more memorable than a box.
Label Design
Each scent has a unique label design that is type-focused and takes over the entire background of the design. By situating the logo in the center, it acts as a consistent focal point throughout the product experience. This also allows for future partnerships and collaborations where third party brands can take over the entire background of the label.
The Brand
The brand comes to life in a variety of ways that are separate from the packaging experience. Examples include apparel, social media, strategic partnerships, and the relationships built with other businesses and consumers that have exposure to the PickMeUp brand.
