Palette Passport
This packaging design project was meant to highlight how cultural identity shapes consumer perception and purchasing behavior. The brief asked us to develop a series of three product variants for a chocolate (or other food) brand with cultural significance through visual storytelling. Each variant is meant to share a unified structure and brand identity while being unique, individual pieces. The brief also wanted us to keep the products environmental impact and production feasibility in mind, and that included material choices that were guided by sustainability principles, like favoring paper-based, recyclable, or compostable solutions.
Strategy
For this project I chose to make a travel themed, charcuterie style snack box for the working adult, like an elegant version of the lunch plates we grew up with but aimed at a more refined palette. I made the 3 from the proposed series and used linked but distinct elements on all packaging, they each featured a distinct photo from the location, as well as a pattern on the interior and side of the box that was culturally significant. Through research I found patterns that held some historical or cultural significance for each region, the patterns for the Greek and Italian boxes were based on historical tile designs, and the Hawaiian box was based on the culturally significant style of tattoo art from the island. For the packaging shape, I wanted the container to have its own handle built in so I modified the dieline and integrated a cutout into the top so that the unit would be a self contained lunch box, allowing for a pick-up-and-go approach for the working person.
