DAT wanted me to design new packaging with an updated look, while remaining true to the established brand and financially viable.
Designing for small volume companies is a unique opportunity. Usually, they have much smaller budgets, so the designer is forced to work with what is immediately available and still works within the company’s existing production methods.
Fortunately, I am very familiar with the inner workings of this company, (see the similarity in names) so I had a leg up on an understanding of what the company could take on for a reboot of their brand. Having already an open communication channel, problems and solutions encountered down the road were much easier to address.
I refined the previously established utilitarian, economical aesthetic toward a direction that would reflect more contemporary utility, while enhancing the overall value of the product line.
During the entire process, cost was the largest concern. Utilizing standard sizing and parts across the product line kept any new fixed costs to a minimum.
A compromise on the budget was made in order to introduce the drawstring bag for the existing Anchor Kit to more products in the DAT line. By modifying a previously established design for one of their products, we were able to find a solution that added value, while keeping the costs low.
DeGroff Designs 