May inspiration be with you … always.

My theme is based on “the ugly duckling”. I used black and white as a colour scheme and separated the paper sample in two categories “cover paper” and “text paper”. In each category, one paper sample is different from all other making a reference to the Ugly duckling. The title « Osez, soyez different! » (Dare, be different!) reminds us designers to try new things and think outside the box, not be scared of what people might think of your designs.

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

The Brand book

To stay within the concept of the early colonists of New France and this era controlled by religion, the brand book was design to look like a old bible. A hand crafted black leather slip cover with the gold leaf Yâble logo was made to include a 64 pages booklet (5×7 in). Each section of the book was sewed by hand. Everything you need to know about the project is in this book. You can browse through the flash version of the book by clicking HERE (click and drag the top right corner to turn the page).

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

The ad campaign

Now we need to sell this beer.

The target audience is the french canadian male from Quebec from age 20-50 who loves tradition and tasty crafted beer. The province of Quebec was chosen because the market of craft beer is well developed and because products from the heartland are popular and well promoted. This beer has the Quebec authenticity and tradition that will reach the target audience.

The ad campaign is based around a fictional story (legend) from the early 1600-1700. Using a story to explain the origin of a beer is rare and will set itself apart from other beer promotions. The legends is called « La cabane du Yâble » (The devil’s cabin). Many elements from the campaign will be taken from the story.

(Story in French only)

Il y a très longtemps par une froide nuit de janvier, un groupe de bûcherons surpris par une terrible tempête tentent de retrouver leur chemin vers le village. Perdus, ces hommes des bois réalisent que cette nuit sera peut-être leur dernière. Soudain, le plus jeune d’entre eux aperçoit une lueur entre les branches. Tous se dirigent hâtivement vers ce qu’ils croient être le village, mais découvrent une cabane de bois au milieu d’une clairière d’où retentissent des chants festifs.

Le chef cogna à la porte et fût accueilli par une séduisante jeune femme aux cheveux roux. Il lui demanda: « Auriez-vous la bonne âme d’aider de désespérés voyageurs? » « Mais certainement » répondit-elle. « Vous êtes les bienvenues ». Les bûcherons se dirigèrent vers une table près du foyer pour s’y réchauffer. L’endroit était rempli, car de nombreux draveurs, chasseurs et trappeurs y festoyaient, houblon à la main.

La jeune femme revint offrir aux bûcherons une bière noire en échange de quelques écus. « Goûtez moi ça » dit-elle, « Cette bière a un p’tit goût de l’enfer ». Les heures passaient et le houblon coulait à flot. Bière après bière, la jeune femme ensorcelait ces gaillards enivrés jusqu’à ce qu’ils n’aient plus de quoi payer. L’ensorceleuse revint avec un bout de papier et dit d’un regard séducteur : « Signez ici et promettez vos âmes que vous reviendrez payer vos dus ». Ivres, ils signèrent sans hésitation afin de pouvoir continuer à consommer cet élixir enchanteur.

La nuit de débauche continuait et tous tombaient dans le délire collectif entretenu par la jolie rousse. C’est alors que le plus jeune des bûcherons sentit une brûlure sur sa poitrine. La croix qu’il portait fièrement venait de lui brûler la peau tel un fer rouge. Il regarda ses compagnons ivres puis la jeune femme qui le transperça alors de son regard enflammé. Le jeune homme compris aussitôt qu’elle était une incarnation du diable. Il prit son manteau d’une main et attrapa son plus proche compagnon de l’autre pour déguerpir de la cabane. Dès la porte franchie, son confère s’enflamma et fut transformé instantanément en cendre. Courant dans la neige, il entendit un rire masculin maléfique atténué par la musique du violon.

Heureusement pour le jeune homme, la tempête c’était atténué. Grâce à la lueur du matin, il retrouva finalement le chemin vers le village où il ne tarda pas à rejoindre ses habitants. Puisque personne ne croyait son histoire, il alla voir le curé pour lui raconter son aventure. « J’te crois mon fils. Ta foi en dieu t’a sauvé »: dit le curé. « Le port de ta croix t’a protégé de cet élixir et empêché d’avoir le yâble au corps comme tes compagnons. Que Dieu les pardonne ».

Le printemps suivant, le jeune bûcheron retrouva la clairière où se cachait la cabane du diable. Au sol gisaient les vestiges d’un incendie. C’est alors qu’un bout de papier brûlé et noirci attira son attention. Ce bout papier comportait une liste partielle de noms au-dessus de laquelle on pouvait lire: « Je promets mon âme au… ». Son nom et ceux de ses compagnons y figuraient, mais le sien avait été rayé.

AD CAMPAIGN PHASE 1

To create a buzz around the product, a teaser poster is created and distributed at different S.A.Q. establishments. The teaser poster shows a red head woman with the Yâble «Y» burnt on the skin. The phrase “Discover the legend 19/11/2012″ leads the reader to the website where a countdown to the launch of a “movie style” commercial. The tagline “Le Yâble au corps”, the red head woman and the burnt skin are references to the legend.

AD CAMPAIGN PHASE 2

November 19, 2012, three week before the launch of the beer, the legend appears on TV (short version 30 sec.) and on the website (long version 60 sec). The ad is filmed with a cinematic style to add realism to the visuals and a sense of history. The actors do not have lines, only the voice of a narrator is heard over the visuals.

Along side the commercial, the contest « Allez chez le yâble ! » (Go to hell!) is launch on the website. Visitors are invited to subscribe and win a trip. The name of the randomly selected winner will be written and crossed out on a burnt piece of paper inserted inside each packaging box. This is also a reference to the story.

AD CAMPAIGN PHASE 3

December 10th, 2012 is the official launch of the Yâble beer in participating S.A.Q. across Quebec. The holidays period was chosen for the launch because it is the period of the year where the most beer, wine and alcohol are bought. The holidays is also a good time to air the TV ad because of the ratings during this time of the year.

In participating S.A.Q., a special isle is placed to showcase the new wood packaging and will be held by a female representative of the brand dressed as the devilish red head. She will offer free sample of the beer. During this promotion, a beer mug with the image of the Yable will be offered at each purchase.

AD CAMPAIGN PHASE 4

As the summer approaches, a second series of posters will be created using the expression « Un p’tit goût de l’enfer » (A little taste of hell) as mentioned in the legend. This time, the posters will use visuals from the legend. The use of this phrase is a reminder of the brand and a reference to the presence of the promotional team during the beer and summer festivals in Quebec. At these events, a promotion kiosk will be held by young women dressed-up like the lady/devil from the legend. Each person who enjoyed a Yable will receive a temporary tattoo (“Y” from the brand). This tattoo will be immediate promotion on site. This promotional product is used only during the summer, because people walk around with short clothes exposing their skin.

AD CAMPAIGN PHASE 5

This last step is key to keep the Yâble trademark active years beyond the original advertising campaign. The legend will be forgotten after one year, so a slight change of direction is planned. While keeping in mind the Quebec origin of the beer (legend), the maintenance of the brand will be through the use of random French Canadian expressions using the word devil. The long-term promotion will mostly use print like Mediacom road signs and Zoom Media posters in different establishments. The website and a Facebook page will continue to maintain the brand on the Internet. The number of available expressions allows maintenance of the brand for a long period of time.

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

The packaging

Time to be crafty. To convey the time period of the 1600-1700, I decided to use a wooden box as the packaging for the beer. Using this material recalls the days when alcohol was transported in wooden crates. Not only the packaging is made ​​of traditional materials, but I used a manual printing technique to apply the logos on the box. So I had to carve out the word mark in reverse on a linoleum plate. A wood stain was applied to the inside and outside of the box and complementary coasters. This stain darkens the package and also gives emphasis on the wood grain giving the wood more character. A handmade packaging adds to the authenticity and tradition that the product is trying to convey.

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

The labels

Because this beer is inspired by tradition, folklore and the heartland of Quebec, I had to go back in time and develop a visual that would reflect this period. I wanted a label that looked old and worn. A label that seemed to have been made a long time ago. The shape of a shield made out of worn paper with gothic letters made the effect I was looking for. Since the bottle was dark brown, a beige label created a excellent contrast.

Sketches

Front, back and top labels

Photoshop mockup

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

The logo

After several hours of brainstorming an idea came to me. The concept of a craft beer from Quebec was created around the word Yâble (french-canadian slang for “devil”). The devil (Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub), is a symbol rooted in folklore and in the history of Quebec due to the religious authority which our ancestors lived by. The Devil is also the subject of many legends and is often associated with temptation. In the case of this beer, the temptation to drink and the pleasure associated to it.

Instead of a logo, the Yâble will use a word mark (logotype). The letters of the word mark have been reworked to make it more representative of the devil (pointy horns and forked tail). The Y is the most important letter because it will be reused individually later on as the branding strengthen. The overall look also reminds us of the early colonists of Quebec. Scarlet red letters were chosen because it is the traditional colour associated with the devil and because the colour also represent strength and interdiction, two concepts conveyed in this branding.

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

This project allowed us to work in teams. I allied myself with one of the best student in my class and a close friend, the wonderful Katherine Proulx. We wanted to work together for a long time because of our individual success and our excellent chemistry when it comes to design and brainstorming.

The project required that we design a poster, directional banners, an invitation card, a program and an uncommon display element with the same visual signature. On top of that we needed to present our design in front of a panel composed of the teacher and two communication specialists. This was a huge task for the time we had. The explanation below is similar to what we presented to the panel of experts. The presentation was mimicking the order in which a potential visitor would meet these graphic applications in real life.

The concept

Knowing what the Acadia organization stands for, we developed a concept around what we find to be the most natural of things…the ground beneath our feet. But more specifically around the smallest element representing the ground … a grain of sand. This opaque grain of sand has been transformed into glass and is now a reflection of the technology. Glass is the thing that separates us from technology the most. Your computer screen, your TV, your smartphone and your tablet are all technologies which information reaches you in the form of light rays through the glass. In the past, you had to set foot on the ground and walk a long distance to communicate with another person. Now, the same ground carries your communications as binary pulses of light through the glass of fiber optics. Light going through glass is also a symbol of innovation and creativity … the light bulb.

“A grain of sand is the reflexion of today’s technology”
Katherine & Dany 

As pixels of an image, the assembly of several small elements forms a distinctive whole. We have strengthened the association with nature by representing a leaf, which is an easily recognizable. The leaf is formed by each small triangular piece of glass that refracts the light in different ways. Every person on earth has a different vision of what nature is today and this is what each individual piece of glass represent. Only a collective effort with technology will standardize the overall vision of nature.

In addition to the visual concept, the assembly of these pieces of glass is an abstract work of art in itself, as are many projects submitted to the Acadia competition.

The poster

The poster takes the concept explained above for the background, but we used a close-up of the glass mosaic rather than the full leaf. The veins are sufficient to understand that this is a leaf. This prevent the audience from seeing the shape of a simple leaf from afar. Furthermore, the use of the full-page mosaic offers an interesting texture that attracted attention for its vibrant green color. The information is arranged on black stripes reminiscent of a “bar code” an provides an excellent contrast with the background and maximum visibility. The text uses a font very visible to help readability. The poster could be printed on a translucent surface and applied to windows or light boxes. The light passing through the display increases the concept of glass.

The invitation

Our potential visitor first receives the invitation. This 5×7 in. invitation contains the glass mosaic in the background on both sides. On the front we find the name of the event and the title of the exhibition. The back shows all the information with an emphasis on the date that is visible on longest black line. This format is easy to carry and can also be used as a flyer.

The bus shelter

Our potential visitor is now interested in attending this event. He decides to take public transit to get to the convention center since he has an environmental awareness. He therefore takes the bus and arrives at the Novotel Centre bus stop.

The bus stop has been dressed with the graphic signature of the event. To explain the composition of the shelter, we show you in two phases (see images below). First, the three back panels shows the glass mosaic that has been printed on a transparent adhesive in order to let the light through. The poster is affixed to the inside and outside of the side light box. Secondly, the remaining glass panels have received a seamless application that mimics the triangles of the mosaic, but without the leaf pattern. Each triangular piece has a variable thickness resulting in a refraction effect of the image passing through it. This allows the bus users to see their bus coming, but also allows them to see the surrounding environment in a quite different way. This out-of-the-ordinary application is the highlight of the outdoor advertising because of its originality and visibility.

The directional banners

After disembarking the bus, our visitor must find his way to the entrance. Nothing could be simpler. He only has to follow the directional banners.

There are two types of banner signs. The first type of banner is rectangular. It overlooks the ground from a height of 18 feet and strewn the perimeter of the Novotel Centre property at regular intervals. The second type of banner has a shaped curve, a height of 10 feet and guides visitors from the different entrances to the main gate by marking a path. Some banners of this second type can also be used indoors. The banners also uses the original graphic signature and shows only the name of the event. A third type of sign, not shown here, consists of several small triangles as seen on the mosaic. They are individually affixed to the floor of the convention center and create a path from the main entrance to the reception booth.

The event program

On arrival at the reception booth, our visitor shows his invitation to the attendant and then receives the event program.

The event program has a dimension of 3.75 x 7 inches and is printed in two colors (Duotone). The front cover is deployed as a letter fold pamphlet to reveal the word from the President and the calendar in a separate saddle-stitch section. The leaf mosaic is used on the cover in colour over a black and white background. The triangular part of the cover, which simulate transparency, is also used as a bookmark for the calendar. The calendar section is inserted vertically in the pamphlet and each spread shows the schedule of one particular day. Having one spread per day lets the schedule breathe and keeps the readability to a maximum.

The presentation

Finally, our presentation went extremely well and we impressed every members of the panel by our preparation, our professionalism and our attention to details. They loved the program, the situation scenario in which we presented pour graphic element and the small presentation brochure we handed them to help follow our explanations. Katherine and I were told that even professionals rarely match a pitch like we just had done. We nailed it!

 copyright Dany Pepin & Katherine Proulx 2011

 copyright Dany Pepin 2011

Ottawa is a city with a rich architectural history, so going back in time graphically was an interesting idea. The overall look of the three types of posters is the “Art Nouveau” movement and the Vintage 40s with a touch of “propaganda” style. There’s a little “futurism” on the horizontal banner and triptych. These artistic styles feature many diagonal lines, perspective, movement and color desaturation. The chosen typography is the most representative elements of the time period illustrated in this poster. Although a vintage style is used, the mixture of minimalism and retro is very trendy nowadays. So this is a good marriage between the old and the new.

The parliament building has been used to identify the city of Ottawa. It is the architectural element most identifiable to Ottawa and is easily recognizable for Canadians and potential visitors of the convention. The new convention center is also represented more or less subtly on the three posters. The superhero representation is generic. It could be any superheros from Captain America to Batman

The poster

The title highly visible and the Peace Tower serves as a guideline to the bilingual information at the bottom right. The Superheros is transparent, otherwise we would have conflicted with the tower. It would also look as if it was ultraman or godzilla wanting to destroy the parliament while standing in the Ottawa river. The radiation effect brings attention to the parliament building and the fact that something is happening in Ottawa. The ground triangular texture is reminiscent of the new convention center.

The bus sign

Here, the big splash of color catches your attention and the direction of the superhero points to the title and the parliament. The irradiation is still a focus point on the parliament signifying the event in the capital. The motion effect of the flying superhero is reminiscent of the futurism style (repetitions) and the convention center is represented with its oval shape and triangular texture.

The triptych

The triptych was a good challenge especially if when you want to keep continuity between the posters but also for each part to convey its message. The title banner placed on the left draws attention and the eye follow the flying superhero (with the splash of yellow) and then goes to the convention center and the information. Then the eye goes back up to the silhouette who is looking at the parliament building closing the loop. It is a story from right to left. The hero first sees a threat, then it activates his powers and flies away.

copyright 2011