Packaging and Merchandising Design Task 1
Siam Siew Yong 0358399
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media | Taylor’s Design School | Taylor’s University
Bachelor of Design in Creative Media | Taylor’s Design School | Taylor’s University
Instruction
List of Content
- Task 1
- Feedback
- Reflection
Task 1
In this task , we have to create a label design for Uncle Jeff.
Uncle Jeff Kombucha is a brand of sparkling, fermented tea (kombucha)
founded by Jeff Lau during the pandemic. The brand focuses on creating
delicious and affordable kombucha in Malaysia using 100% locally-sourced
ingredients and pure fruits and spices with no artificial flavorings.
The existing label, while unique, presents an opportunity for a professional
and commercially appealing redesign to help the product better compete and
communicate its artisanal, local, and premium qualities in the modern
beverage market.
Target Market
● Primary Target Audience (Based on Brand Context): Health-conscious
individuals and foodies in Malaysia who appreciate local, artisanal,
high-quality, and unique food/drink products. They are likely interested in
supporting local businesses.
● Secondary Target: Consumers seeking healthier, low-sugar alternatives to
sodas and other processed drinks
Label Design Requirements
Based on the lecture, includes necessary information on the label.
Deliverables
1. Design Rationale (Report): A 1–2 page document detailing:
○ The chosen visual direction (e.g., Rustic Traditional, Modern Minimalist,
Vibrant Malaysian Pop).
○ Justification for the colors, typography, and imagery used to convey the
local, artisanal identity.
2. Visual Mock-up: A high-resolution digital image showing the new label
wrapped realistically around the large brown bottle and physical
mock-up.
3. Label Die-Line/Flat File: A to-scale visual design of the label showing
all text, graphics, and the exact cutting shape.
4. Upload your source file (Adobe Illustrator) into your Google Drive and
provide the link in your E-portfolio. Make sure you set the link to public.
First, I started to search some references from Pinterest, Cosmos, Behance and
Packagingoftheworld to create my moodboard and determine the visual direction
for the project.
The flavor I choose is Salted Calamansi.
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| fig 1.1 flavour chosed |
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| fig 1.2 moodboard |
I prefer to choose vintage and nostalgia style which feels like a naturally
brewed drink discovered from an old family recipe notebook. Instead of making
the design look overly old-fashioned or outdated, I decided to modernize the
visual style to better attract younger audiences. To achieve this, I will
included minimalist botanical illustrations and cleaner layouts into the label
design.
Besides, I also create another moldboard for visual direction like the color
palette, typography and imagery.
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fig 1.4 sketches |
After consulting with Mr. Shamsul, he mentioned that my idea was accepted.
He also felt that the sketches had a strong old kopitiam-style feeling,
and suggested that I continue exploring that visual direction further.
After consultation, I started to digitize it, and I also decided the label
size for my task 1.
Large bottle: height 9.5cm × width 18.5cm
Small bottle: height 6cm x width 14.5 cm
First, I sketched the calamansi and flower.
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After that, I typed a Chinese typeface for the flavour name and placed the
calamansi illustration on the front panel to experiment with the layout.
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fig 1.6 experiment the layout |
The calamansi illustration alone felt visually empty and did not fully
communicate the nostalgic atmosphere I wanted to achieve. To strengthen
the vintage concept, I incorporated an old-style cupboard illustration
into the design. This element helps evoke memories of traditional homes
and family kitchens, reinforcing the idea of a naturally brewed drink
inspired by an old family recipe notebook.
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fig 1.8 wall pattern |
I then arranged all the graphic elements on the front panel and began
refining the typography. The English flavour name, “Salted Calamansi,” was
set in the Historic typeface because its condensed sans-serif style
provides strong readability while complementing the vintage aesthetic of
the packaging.
To attract consumers and communicate the product’s key selling points, I
incorporated supporting copy such as “Old Recipe,” “100% Natural,” and the
headline “The Hometown Flavor” at the top of the label. These elements
help reinforce the nostalgic concept while highlighting the product's
natural and handcrafted qualities.
For the second panel, I included the brand story, product information, and
key product messages to provide consumers with a better understanding of the
brand and its brewing philosophy. The body text was set in the D-DIN
typeface family, which offers excellent readability.
To further enhance the vintage and nostalgic atmosphere, I applied a
subtle grain texture to the illustrations and graphic elements. This
effect creates the appearance of aged printed materials and old recipe
books.
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In the ingredients page, I continued using the d-din font for readable
experience.
And to make sure my font is clear, I used the size 6pt for large bottle. And
the size of 4.5 pt for small bottle.
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| fig 1.10 ingredients page |
Here's my overall view of large bottle label design.
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| fig 1.11 overall presentation of large bottle |
And for the small bottle version, I slightly adjust the size of font and
the position of ingredient page and product information page. The body
text font size was changed from 6pt to 4.5 pt.
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After completing the label design, I began searching for suitable bottle
mock-ups to showcase the final packaging design. I explored various
mock-up resources from Magnific and Pixpine, focusing on both large and
small bottle formats to determine which presentation would best represent
the product.
Once I selected the most suitable mock-up materials, I imported them into
Adobe Photoshop and started applying the label design to the bottle
surfaces.
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fig 1.14 mockup process in photoshop |
Final output
Design rationale
The chosen visual direction for Uncle Jeff Kombucha is a vintage-inspired
design approach that combines nostalgic aesthetics with botanical and
floral elements. The direction aims to reflect the brand’s handcrafted
fermentation process, locally sourced ingredients, and warm artisanal
identity while creating a more professional and commercially appealing
appearance for the modern beverage market.
The overall visual style draws inspiration from vintage herbal remedy
labels, old tea packaging, and traditional apothecary aesthetics. This
nostalgic approach helps communicate authenticity and craftsmanship,
making the product feel honest, homemade, and carefully brewed rather than
mass-produced.
The design also incorporates floral and botanical illustrations to
reinforce the natural ingredients used in the beverage. Elements such as
flowers, herbs, tea leaves, and fruits help visually communicate
freshness, wellness, and fermentation culture. These illustrations create
a softer and more premium appearance while strengthening the connection to
locally sourced Malaysian ingredients.
The color palette for the salted calamansi drink includes warm cream, olive
green, citrus yellow, and rusty rose, to evoke a sense of heritage,
refreshing natural flavor, and artisanal craftsmanship. Warm cream serves as
a foundational backdrop that mimics aged paper textures, instantly grounding
the packaging in a timeless, handcrafted aesthetic. To represent the flavor
profile, a muted citrus yellow directly references the refreshing essence of
calamansi without looking synthetic, while olive green introduces a
botanical freshness that represents the fruit's skin and leaves. Balancing
these colors is rusty rose, to create contrast while adding a touch of
vintage nostalgia. The new redesign color palette positioning it as a
premium, health-conscious, and deeply authentic alternative that feels
calming, organic, and trustworthy.
The typography I used was Historic, Chinese font-ZCOOL QingKe HuangYou
Regular, and D-DIN. These fonts combine a vintage serif typeface with a
clean supporting sans serif font. These typography gives the brand a
classic and nostalgic personality inspired by traditional tea houses and
old botanical packaging. Especially the Chinese font, tt helps communicate
heritage, craftsmanship, and authenticity, and it provide the most strong
nostalgic feel because salted calamansi was famous in Guang Dong Chinese
family.
The supporting sans serif typeface D-DIN improves readability for
important label information such as ingredients and nutritional details.
This balance between decorative and modern typography ensures the label
feels both artisanal and commercially functional.
The imagery focuses on hand-drawn botanical illustrations inspired by
vintage scientific drawings and herbal journals. Floral elements, tea
leaves, fruits are used to visually represent the natural ingredients and
fermentation process used in the salted calamansi. These illustrations
help strengthen the artisanal identity of the brand while creating a
visually rich and premium packaging experience.
I incorporated an illustration of an old-style cupboard to further reinforce
the theme of nostalgia and home. The cupboard serves as a visual reminder of
traditional family kitchens and the places where treasured recipes are often
preserved and passed down through generations. This element supports the
concept of a naturally brewed drink discovered from an old family recipe
notebook, while adding warmth and storytelling to the overall design.
Final label Design flat image
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fig 1.15 label design of big bottle |
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Drive link for working file
Final visual mock-up
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FEEDBACK
Week 6: The idea was accepted.The sketches had a strong old kopitiam-style feeling, and suggested that I can exploring that visual direction further.
Week 7:-
REFLECTION
This project helped me understand that packaging design is not only about making a product look attractive, but also about telling a brand’s story. Through research, sketching, and design development, I learned how to create a visual identity that reflects Uncle Jeff Kombucha’s artisanal and I also developed a nostalgic character for this redesign project.
One of the biggest challenges was balancing vintage nostalgia with a modern look. I wanted the label to feel like it came from an old family recipe notebook while still appealing to younger consumers. Through experimenting with illustrations, typography, colours, and layouts, I was able to achieve a design that feels both nostalgic and contemporary.
Overall, this project improved my skills in packaging design, typography, and visual storytelling. It also taught me the importance of research, feedback, and refinement throughout the design process.
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