SPEKTRUM // Packaging + website design
Spektrum is a line of gender neutral skin and hair care products. It features shampoo, soap,
scrub and lotion for all types of needs, including paraben and perfume free options.
scrub and lotion for all types of needs, including paraben and perfume free options.
THE CHALLENGE
As my graduation project, I decided to dig down in the world of skin and hair care products. It's one of those industries that is still heavily gendered, for no particular reason, and it's a perfect candidate for a research project.
The challenge was to create a product that would be considered gender neutral but also stood out among the existing market of gender neutral products (and "regular" gendered products as well). While intended for everyone, I aimed for the age group of millenials and younger because they're most familiar with gender neutrality.
RESEARCH AND TESTING
Besides different types of research, I collected my own data: I made a survey on people's use, habits and opinions on such products to define what's considered masculine, feminine and neutral. After producing a bunch of prototypes, I tested those in personal interviews.
Besides different types of research, I collected my own data: I made a survey on people's use, habits and opinions on such products to define what's considered masculine, feminine and neutral. After producing a bunch of prototypes, I tested those in personal interviews.
The existing market for gender neutral skin care products isn't awfully big and it's often very white and minimalistic. I was therefore surprised when my simple, black/white prototype wasn't considered as gender neutral as the prototype for the final product. It turned out that the lack of colour was the least popular feature of the existing neutral skin care products.
During the interviews, also I learned that most of the respondents prioritesed healthy skin care products (no perfume, paraben etc.). This aspect was originally not a part of the concept, seeing as I went for visuals only, but the results made me rethink how to include this and thus the white versions were made.
PRODUCTION
The original plan was to get a company to make the products for a professional look but I couldn't find a single one that could produce less than several thousand bottles. Then I went to buy empty bottles (either transparent or white), spray painted the different parts, and attached the label. If I was able to make my dream product, the design would be printed onto fully coloured bottles and they'd be "square" cylinders like the lotions, not have rounded corners like the soaps and shampoos.
The original plan was to get a company to make the products for a professional look but I couldn't find a single one that could produce less than several thousand bottles. Then I went to buy empty bottles (either transparent or white), spray painted the different parts, and attached the label. If I was able to make my dream product, the design would be printed onto fully coloured bottles and they'd be "square" cylinders like the lotions, not have rounded corners like the soaps and shampoos.
This is a graduation project by Isabella Strange, a 2018 graduate from the graphic design line at Denmark's School of Media and Journalism.
It is not an official product line and is not associated with Matas A/S.
It is not an official product line and is not associated with Matas A/S.
