Geneses provides a step into a cleaner future, as an urgent response to the increase in over packaged and unsustainable fragrance bottles. I landed on the name, Geneses, with its definition referring to new roots and beginnings. Its Ancient Greek origins align with my heritage and solidify the significance of this project on a more personal scale. I would ideally hope for the name to instigate widespread recognition of the recycling process and a reinvention of a circular economy.
I marketed this brand for a wide spread audience, spanning from ages 18 and above, as it is a gender inclusive fragrance, it allows for fewer restrictive borders in marketing, and ensures the impact and environmental benefits of the product are largely received. I also needed to ensure the brand felt quite luxurious and of high quality, in order to generate a profit after the packaging and production costs. This is evident in the branding of the fragrance, with the colours and typeface decisively chosen to align with the market and brand ethics.
In response to a discovery by scientists based in London, Quagga mussel shells are said to form an environmentally friendly alternative to regular glass, which I have centred around my design project. The shells are crushed and combined with sand, to allow the glass to naturally grow, solidifying its biodegradable nature. The natural state of its growth allows it to be decomposed in the same state, efficiently within weeks, compared to current fragrance glass bottles taking up to thousands of years to break down. Aside from being beneficial for our planet, production costs are reduced immensely, as the glass is naturally grown. The box itself has a handle, to avoid it being placed in a separate bag, reducing over packaging and production costs. This is with the intention of the fragrance being bought in store, in a shopping centre environment. Along with the bottle itself, the box is biodegradable and naturally decomposes within several weeks, thanks to the hemp plants for the handle and mushroom packaging (also referred to as mycelium packaging).
Rather than printing the logo and ingredients lists onto a separate label to then be glued to the box, I decided to use algae ink to print directly onto the box, in order to reduce over printing and production costs. As Geneses is intended to be of a high quality and luxurious fragrance brand, I intended for the box to peak the consumer’s interest, prior to interacting with the fragrance bottle itself. As there isn’t a clear and orthodox opening for the box, it should provide the consumer with a sense of curiosity. Furthermore, I have placed the primary logo on the front of the box as an indication and guide to opening the packaging.
The two dots on the letter g allude to the intended circular economy that Geneses attempts to initiate. The striking contrast between the heavy and light strokes of the typeface accentuates the sense of elegance and class, along with the visual representation of flowing water, embodying cycles, relating to the process of recycling.
The main text body is represented by Courier New, which provides a sophisticated and elegant approach to the brand. With the typeface being reminiscent of that of a typewriter, it pays homage to the scientific and environmental aspect of the brand as well as its product formulae.
