overview:

The National Geographic Platinum Series Rock Tumbler was developed to be one of the quietest tumblers on the market. With a sleek modern design, this tumbler is intended for adult hobbyists. The goal was to create a new packaging style that differs from our younger STEM line to appeal to an older crowd while also creating a high perceived value.

solution:

To create a more upscale brand, we drew inspiration from premium electronics like Bose, Fitbit, and PlayStation. We adopted a clean, white space-centric design to showcase our products. While the yellow border is iconic for NG, it was somewhat overwhelming on a lighter background and distracted from the product. To maintain brand recognition, we allowed the NG Logo its own white space and transformed the yellow border into a bar, grounding packaging and collateral while preserving brand identity. We also subtly integrated grayscale landscapes to honor National Geographic's natural roots, aligning with product utility.

my role:

I was the lead designer for branding identity,which included color palette, iconography, font usage, rendering, photography, online marketing, and packaging while also ensuring we stayed in line with the National Geographic Brand.

tools used:

Photoshop, Illustrator, and Keyshot

packaging process

Initially, the design followed our original STEM line style, but it felt too youthful for this high-end product. I was tasked with creating the 'Platinum' line while collaborating with Disney to maintain brand alignment. With guidance from my creative director, Austin Poland, we developed the current Platinum Line aesthetic.

I chose an off-white background to accentuate the tumbler's darker tones and create a clean, modern look. To elevate its premium feel, I added a ground reflection to the product. For visual interest and a nod to NG's nature heritage, I subtly integrated a grayscale mountain range backdrop. The iconography was designed to convey complex information efficiently without overshadowing the product. Departing from our traditional rock tumbler packaging, I included a detailed infographic on the side to highlight the ease of rock tumbling.

The new line went through various explorations before reaching the final version. I aimed to simplify by moving away from our hex lockups used in the younger STEM line to reduce visual clutter and provide more space for the product. The darker backgrounds caused the product to get lost, so I proposed lightening them to enhance visibility. Once the lighter design was approved, I unified fonts, icons, and finalized the artwork.

fonts & colors

National Geographic’s official brand font, Geograph, was utilized for the Platinum Series to help stay within NG’s branding guidelines and maintain brand recognition through our other series.

For color, I wanted to really boil down the palette to just a few hues to help the product be the star of the show. I also wanted to ensure that NG’s brand recognition came through, so I made sure to use the yellow sparingly on the box so the logo could be easily seen. I opted for charcoal grey for the titles with a light 45% grey for any icons and information as to not be visually overwhelming.

evolution

The original Platinum Series design was evolved further with the new Magnetic Marble Run. Much like the rock tumbler, this marble run was intended for an older, more mature crowd. I was tasked with setting up the initial design of the box which was then finalized by my creative director, Austin Poland. He refined the call-out sections and developed ways to introduce lifestyles with the style.

kassia zegzdryn

National Geographic™

platinum series packaging

role:

Lead Designer

Jan-Feb

2021