Client: Shade of Green
Project: Shade of Green Living
Duration: March 2009-March 2010
Services Provided: Design Strategy (Product Ideation), Experience Strategy (Market Research & Analysis), Experience Design (Logo Design, Identity System, Product Packaging, eCommerce Website)
The Introduction
Owner Amy Williams is passionate about her personal journey of living green but encountered many obstacles along that journey. She desired to help everyone more easily find their own Shade of Green, leading to the creation of Shade of Green Living (SOG). Emerging on the marketplace with many competitors, she needed a logo, business collateral, packaging, and a website that were just as unique as her approach.
The Problem
Emerging as a new business into a market plagued by a recession is a daunting challenge. Though the eco-friendly products market sector has only begun to build steam within the last few years, there were plenty of competitors to keep this Green Living company from being successful. For Shade of Green Living to truly succeed, it required far more than passion and an aesthetically appealing company identity. It required a unique vision, mission and focus, and an identity that resounded that uniqueness consistently.
The Strategy
The vision that Amy had for Shade of Green Living from the very beginning is one that still has yet to be matched within the marketplace. Her vision stemmed from her own personal experiences, and she herself had already found a void in the market where she knew she could make an impact.
After reviewing the competitors in the marketplace, a common theme was found throughout them. To set Shade of Green Living apart from the competition and establish a firm stance in the market, it was clear that we needed to avoid complying with these trends. Because the only point of contact most customers would have with the company would be the website, this was determined to be the primary priority between all implementation elements.
The Challenges
Creating a logo that could be used for various segments of the company (i.e. SOG Living, SOG Consulting, SOG Massage, etc.) was the first obstacle to overcome, achieved by applying standard information hierarchy principles. Amy’s schedule as being a fulltime student and mother challenged the timeline of completing the project, though it allowed for greater refinement of the designs. Finding 100% PCW paper for the packaging and other print items that suited the concept well were difficult to find.
The Solutions
A logo was created with an interchangeable segmentation element. (View images of two logo variations above.) The identity system was printed on 100% PCW paper in a natural tan shade to emphasize the organic focus of the company. Business cards were designed at a smaller size to save paper. Cardboard boxes will be collected from various retailers and reused to ship product orders. The aesthetic design of the website, company identity, and product packaging successfully reflect the uniqueness and character of the company. All solutions provided were a collaboration of efforts between Point Brake and Shade of Green Living.
The Results
Among the vast amount of praise the Shade of Green Living website has received, the site received a 2010 Top Green Living Blog Award.
Beyond the Results
Having known Amy since childhood, it was clear from the beginning of the project that her tendency to be extremely picky would be the largest challenge of all. However, when she reviewed the first five concepts for the website design, she could not decide between them because she liked them all. The fifth option was very different from the others, and very different from most website designs. She remarked that she kept going back to it because it stood out in her mind, but she wasn’t entirely sure that it was the most suitable option. I replied that, if you keep going back to it because it stands out, users would most likely do the same. From that she was able to make her decision and has since expressed just how satisfied she is with the concept.
Client Comments
“I’m a hard person to please and I felt like I was a hard person to peg into a certain style—until you did it. But I am definately a hard person to get to 100% commit to something someone else has produced. And, I love my website.”
Amy Williams, Founder, regarding the Shade of Green Living website design.