Saturday 7 February 2015

Pour Tu


Have you ever bought coffee from a vending machine? Mmm, it’s not always pleasant experience. Did you know that the coffee industry in this country is worth £5.8bn?

The editor has sampled ‘instant’ coffee in many a service station and even when travelling on the French motorways . . . it’s never a highlight. So it came as a little of a surprise when a ‘live’ brief arrived in the department from a local food company.

Aimia Foods have a coffee product delivered in very graphic cups from really stylish machines [although they are mainly situated in Scotland and the SW] and go under the banner of Pour Moi.

The brief was to create a new design that must not date, must not be tied to a specific event this year or next. The design cannot be tied for copyright reasons to specific events e.g. World Cup / Commonwealth Games.

The students had to work to a specific size and a limited number of colours. The designs had to tell a story of some sort but what that was, was up to the designer.

Although a FD1 student had already had a look at the brief when it arrived during the summer, the FD2 group took the challenge onboard as one of their professional practice module live briefs.

One of the massive benefits of the FD course is that you get to meet really nice people ‘out-there’ doing the business. People like Domenic Lippa [Pentagram], Trevor Beattie [BMB], John Winnard [Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls], Brian Cannon [of Oasis and Verve design fame] and working with Aimia Foods brand manager George Thomas.

For a couple of weeks George fielded questions from the editor and the students so that the final product fitted the requirements of the brief. The first stage was to provide initial concepts to be considered by the company and then feedback would be given to the group.

George came to the FD studio and explained the reasons behind a design being or considered or rejected. Three designs made the podium and Danny, Hayley and Dean were asked to develop their themes further with direction from Aimia.

A couple of weeks later the final designs were in and a decision had been made. George returned to the studio to announce the winning theme. All three solutions were strong and fitted in with the Pour Moi tradition  . . . but as always there can only be one winner – and the prize which was a hefty sum, a visit to the print works to see the designs in production and a box-full of finished cups went to Dean.      

FD2Magenta : from the right : Chris / Rachel / Billy / Hayley / Dec / Ben / Chris / The Winner Dean / George / Megan / Mel / Emma
and below the winning designs.

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