The mission of the Happy Seeds brand is to introduce kids to the joy of growing their own food. Sustainable packaging, healthy eating, and community building are key lessons derived from the product. This project resulted in the design, assembly, and production of an environmentally friendly kit for children interested in urban gardening.
Logo and Brand Identity
Designing for kids was a fun and unique branding challenge. After research on the target market of children aged 7 to 11 years, I took careful consideration during the design process. To make the Happy Seeds brand feel instantly relatable and approachable to kids, I created an illustrated “happy seed” character, which was a prominent part of the logo. This character is paired with a fun rounded sans serif typeface in the logo, adding a level of personality and “happiness” to the brand. Bright colours are used in the package collateral, with a focus on shades of the primary colours (red, yellow, and blue), which are attention-grabbing and exciting for young gardeners. Though the brand, graphics, typography, and other design elements needed to appeal to children, this project and its mission also appeals to parents, who would purchase the kit.
Package Design
Other than fresh soil and water, the gardening kit contains all elements needed to successfully grow herbs and veggies—and maintain the child’s interest during the process. The package is the product, and all interior components serve one or more purposes towards the goal of achieving a small vegetable harvest. I took careful consideration during the design of the kit components, which include: cutting board lid, planter box, illustrated seed packages, information booklet/interactive poster, seedling markers, friendship pendants, recipe cards, seed-paper harvest invitations, and more. The simple all-in-one design of the package appeals to both parents and kids.
Knowledge: Brand Identity, Logo Design, Package Design, Illustration, Poster Design
Programs: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign
Details: Student project work for the York/Sheridan Program in Design (YSDN)
Award: Adobe Design Achievement Awards 2015 Semifinalist in the Packaging Category, was given in July 2015 by Adobe and Ico-D.