Milkshake Syrup brief - contacting the company

After reading the brief, certain details of the messages struck me and concerns arose.

The Brief

"The name of the company is Tropics Foods Uk Ltd, we are based in the Leeds 7 area. We have been in the food manufacturing game for over three decades. We have many of our branded products under Tropics in stores such as Asda, Tesco and Morrisons. We also do lots of contract work and these are often under names such as KTC, Enco, Dunns River. Our website further explains and gives you a better insight in to our company.

My aim is to launch 4 flavours of milkshake syrup mix, these are bottles of syrup which when mixed with milk creates a milkshake.

My product is based under the American diner menu, so it will look very 1950's in design. The front of the label will consist of a milkshake glass with a straw in it and a fruit on the side. I have many concepts that will make life for the designer much easy.

I have realised that the Graphic Artist department has many eager artists willing to undertake such tasks that will further enhance their portfolios.

Thank you, we look forward in working together with the college."

Contacting

It struck me that this brief didn't explain or even give the name of this milkshake product I was to be designing for, as far as I knew, the title of the product labelling would read 'Milkshake',

Also another concern that arose was that at this stage, I did not know the flavours of this product, the brief explained how 4 flavours were to be released, the problem was I did not know these flavours.

Finally, the client explained how they had concepts that would ' will make life for the designer much easy' I was interested to hear what these concepts were and how the could benefit my designs, for this reason I finished by asking that question.

My email read:

"Hello there, I am Ryan Daley, A 3rd and final year of Leeds college of art's BAhons Graphic design course. 

I have read the briefing email and have a few questions to ask about the product.

Firstly, you have mentioned that the product will come in 4 flavoured syrups? Please could you inform me as to what these flavours are.

Secondly, is there a name associated with this milkshake product? or is this something that the designer must design on?

Thirdly and finally, you have mentioned "I have many concepts that will make life for the designer much easy." do you care to expand on these concepts please?

Thank you very much for your time, I am looking forward to hearing back from you and beginning the brief.

Yours faithfully, Ryan Daley"

Milkshake Syrup brief - existing milkshake packaging research

Evocative milkshake branding takes a step back in time

http://www.creativebloq.com/branding/evocative-milkshake-branding-takes-step-back-time-61411909

"New Zealand designers transport Master Milkshakes back to the 1950s with this new brand identity and packaging design.

Auckland-based graphic design studio Fuman was recently commissioned to create a brand identity for Master Milkshakes. The brief required the inclusion of a hand-drawn character, which should have a "1950s retro vibe but not too 'hipster' - something that would have a timeless feel and stand out from the crowd"."

Overall, A very effective, unique and eye catching range of branding for the milkshake products.

Criticism has been made with the milkshake syrup being contained in brown medicine style bottles, this is almost a killing point in term of marketing a product for children in my opinion, a bad connection between a fun consumable product for all ages and the relation between potentially dangerous medicine bottles. 

Milkshake Syrup brief - 1950s packaging research

Having read the Milkshake packaging brief, the logical steps is to become acquainted with how food was branded in the 1950s and in the modern day to gather contextual research into how these products could eventually look.

A theme/style that correlates with all of these food packaging products from the 1950s is illustrative, colourful but almost minimal designs.

The use of demonstrative illustrations is abundant within most of these products. This could be used in relation to how the milkshake syrup must be mixed with milk as part of the sequence to creating this drink.

fig4

Another element that has been noticed from these packaging designs is the fact that characters / creatures which have been personified often take a major roll in the branding of these products.

By contemporary standards, this 1950s packaging for Bassett's Jelly babies [fig4] is strikingly simple but also extraordinarily eye catching. The use of bright colours, endearing characters and a general unisex brand would explain how this product would appeal in a super market situation.

In the contemporary world, this packaging would be seen as vintage and outdated almost especially in comparison to the how the branding has evolved in the modern day. [see below, fig5.]

fig5

One of the major concerns in modern day confectionary as well as snack foods is consuming artificial  sweeteners or E numbers.
[http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/artificial-sweeteners-sugar-free-but-at-what-cost-201207165030]

These taboo flavouring products have a stigma attached in which they are promoted using bright, vibrant colours to attract children, despite the modern Jelly babies evidently conveying the use of 'Natural colours & flavours' this packing still screams artificial colours and the connection with hyperactivity.

Something that this brand could take note of is the previous [Fig.4]'s less punchy and artificial colour scheme.

In conclusion, the comparison to be made between Jelly babies' vintage packaging and their contemporary one is that in modern supermarkets, bright vibrant colours can be effectively used when appealing to children, but adults and parents often hold the opinion that these products contain artificial flavourings. A middle ground must be found in which the product's packaging appeals to all ages of the target market, but in the same sense conveys healthy values in adverse to additives, E numbers and artificial flavourings. 

Milkshake Syrup brief - Tropics food

Milkshake Syrup brief

The Brief

"The name of the company is Tropics Foods Uk Ltd, we are based in the Leeds 7 area. We have been in the food manufacturing game for over three decades. We have many of our branded products under Tropics in stores such as Asda, Tesco and Morrisons. We also do lots of contract work and these are often under names such as KTC, Enco, Dunns River. Our website further explains and gives you a better insight in to our company.

My aim is to launch 4 flavours of milkshake syrup mix, these are bottles of syrup which when mixed with milk creates a milkshake.

My product is based under the American diner menu, so it will look very 1950's in design. The front of the label will consist of a milkshake glass with a straw in it and a fruit on the side. I have many concepts that will make life for the designer much easy.

I have realised that the Graphic Artist department has many eager artists willing to undertake such tasks that will further enhance their portfolios.

Thank you, we look forward in working together with the college."

Details:

• 4 flavours of milkshake syrup mix
• food manufacturing game for over three decades.
• American diner menu - very 1950's in design
• The front of the label will consist of a milkshake glass with a straw in it and a fruit on the side.
•  I have many concepts that will make life for the designer much easy.

Tropics Foods Uk Ltd