Role: Art Director and Lead Graphic Designer
PROBLEM
Drivers face limited options for sustainable, natural packaging with forest scents
Product: Car essential oils diffuser Brand
Team: Playheads Creative Agency
Duration: 12 weeks
Drivers often encounter an overabundance of plastic-heavy car products with artificial smells, leaving limited packaging choices that align with sustainability and nature-inspired design. This gap highlights the need for eco-friendly, natural packaging that evokes authentic forest scents, catering to environmentally conscious individuals seeking a more harmonious driving experience.
SOLUTION
Creating an eco-friendly yet aesthetically pleasing product that blends functionality and beauty.
Design solution
A combination of wooden vent clip for natural aesthetics and glass bottle for purity and sustainability.
Sustainable aproach
Eliminating plastic use and creating an eco-friendly yet aesthetically pleasing product that blends functionality and beauty.
Implementation and Testing
Production: The final packaging used a material that mimicked wood for structural integrity and aligned with the natural theme. Worked with production companies to ensure quality and consistency.
Challenges:
Sourcing sustainable materials that met the aesthetic and functional requirements.
Ensuring that the packaging's ergonomic design supported usability and giftability.
Testing:
Conducted durability tests to ensure the packaging could withstand transportation and handling.
Usability testing showed positive reactions, with users appreciating the thoughtful design and premium feel.
Outcome and Impact
Results: The product successfully positioned itself as a premium, eco-friendly car accessory, garnering positive feedback from both the client and target users.
Client Feedback: The client praised the design for its harmony with the West Coast theme and alignment with their sustainability mission.
Audience Reaction:
Young consumers resonated with the design, appreciating its minimal environmental impact and high-quality materials.
Early adopters noted the packaging as a key differentiator, elevating the product's appeal in a competitive market.
Future Potential: The success of this project has paved the way for potential product line extensions using the same sustainable design principles.
RESEARCH
User Research a way to achieve goals with 90% success
We ran consumer surveys and questionnaires focusing on car experiences
(e.g., city stress, traffic). During dip dive we discovered that insights showed a strong preference among young consumers for sustainable materials like wood or glass over plastics, aligning with their aversion to consumerism and environmental harm.
Conducted competitor analysis of major essential oil brands.
DESIGN PROCESS
User Research a way to achieve goals with 90% success
2
1
As the Lead Designer and Art Director, I organized and facilitated brainstorming workshops and team meetings, ensuring all creative voices were heard while driving the project toward its objectives.
Collaborated with junior designers, project managers, and researchers to create a cohesive vision. Together, we built comprehensive mood boards, drawing inspiration from West Coast natural elements and sustainable design trends.
After initial brainstorming sessions, the team developed two distinct design directions that were presented to the client for feedback.
4
3
Following the client's selection, we moved forward with refining the chosen concept. I led the efforts to:
Design the logo, ensuring it aligned with the product's natural and premium identity.
Oversee the creation of a 3D model for the diffuser (bottle holder), guiding the design team in its development to ensure functionality and aesthetic harmony.
Together with the production manager, we explored material options to balance sustainability and practicality.
Throughout the process, team collaboration was key, with regular feedback loops and iterative refinement to ensure the best possible outcome.
