a design process exploring the
flavors
of venezuela
by Annie Van Domelen
flavors of venezuela
This book was created out of a class project as a second year Integrated Media: Graphic Design student at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon. The project actually began in fall 2008 and carried over to winter term 2009. Students were asked to design a corporate identity system, including a logo, packaging for three products and a book displaying their completed work, finished products, with their own copy writing and layout.
GD251 | MHCC | 2009 : Corporate Identity Systems : Packaging | Identity Project Copyright 2009 by the author of this book, Annie Van Domelen. The book’s author retains sole copyright to her contributions to this book.
flavors of venezuela
I discovered the flavors of Venezuela. I uncovered them in their culture, and their people. I unearthed them in the diverse beauty of the geography, In the plants, animals, farms and crops. I savored them in the arts and architecture. But most of all, I tasted the flavor of Venezuela in their chocolate. Annie Van Domelen
luck of the draw Have you ever thought of immersing yourself in a country and its cocoa for eight weeks? That’s exactly what this packaging and identity project was all about; the design and marketing of cocoa products from a foreign country. This book gives me the opportunity to share how Venezuela inspired my visual senses and how I arrived at my final solutions. Join me on my journey through the design process. It all began as each student drew a piece of paper inscribed with a country from a hat, with no two countries alike. I remember the moment of anticipation — what would my country be? Aha! Venezuela. So my imaginary trek began. Imaginary? Why, yes. After all, I’ve never been to Venezuela, and in fact, knew very little about Venezuela. Naturally I suggested to my instructor I should immediately hop onto a plane to gather research on my assigned country in the interest of authenticity, but somehow the idea was laughed off. So I plugged into Internet land instead to gather the feelings, sights, flavors and culture of Venezuela.
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my project rules! Project guidelines suggested total submersion into my country of origin for inspiration and information. First step, was to create a mood board. This included collecting and collaging imagery of the culture, people, music, colors, language, fabrics, agriculture, literature, art, (and more) relevant to Venezuela and its cacao industry onto a single page. These images became my reference point, connecting me like a lifeline to the look and feel of this South American country. The research also offered some understanding of the country and its people. I fell in love with my mood board and would jump at the chance to become a mood boardologist. (Is there such a thing?) I found that a mood board is a fantastic approach to beginning a new project and I’ll use it again on future projects. The next step was to choose a target audience. Would they be athletes, health seekers, affluent or middle income customers? Should I narrow my target audience to environmentally conscious consumers? And finally, we were asked to decide on three cocoa products for which we would develop packaging solutions.
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inspiration Inspiration came to me visually, as it always does. The bright and richly saturated colors of Venezuela blew me away! I was particularly influenced by the country’s art, architecture and the diversity found within its people and culture. The blend of Venezuela’s history and traditions placed within its push towards modernism created an intriguing juxtaposition. Like most countries, Venezuela expresses itself in both wealth and poverty. You’ll find large modern cities, small quaint towns, stacked housing for the poor, as well as indigenous people living in huts within its jungles. The architecture ranges from slick and elite to shabby shacks. You can feel the vibration of diversity through the passion displayed in its art and culture. Ranging from earthy and spicy, to elegant and refined. One thing for certain, the people of Venezuela are filled with fire and energy and they aren’t afraid to express it. The next few pages of imagery are intended to help tap you into my muse, Venezuela.
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support for cocoa growers World Cocoa Foundation Mission: The World Cocoa Foundation promotes a sustainable cocoa economy through economic/social development and environmental conservation in cocoa growing communities. Millions of small, family farms grow cocoa in equatorial regions around the world. For many cocoa farmers, the crop is a major source of income for their families and their communities. Yet each year, they face significant challenges ranging from crop loss due to pests and diseases, limited access to the latest farming practices, and other issues. The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) was formed in 2000 to address these issues. Today, it plays a leading role in helping cocoa farming families by developing and managing effective, on-the-ground programs, raising funds and acting as a forum for broad discussion of the cocoa farming sector’s needs.
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where the heck are we? Venezuela’s mainland rests on the South American Plate. It’s northern most boundary lies upon the Caribbean Sea, with Columbia, Brazil and Guyana as it’s neighbors. It is home to a wide variety of landscapes, as well as Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall. While being among the most urbanized countries in Latin America, it also possesses a diversity of wildlife in numerous protected habitats. The name Venezuela is believed to have originated from Amerigo Vespucci who, upon reaching Guajira Peninsula, observed villages that had been built over water. Remind-
Angel Falls
ing Vespucci of the city of Venice (Italian: Venezia), he named the region Venezuola, meaning little Venice in Italian.
Cata Bay, Venezuela
City of Caracas
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Caribbean Sea Ocumare dela Costa Cata Bay
Caracas
Isla de Margarita
Venezuela Guyana
Columbia Amazonas
Brazil
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choosing a company Company Profile Cata, meaning tasting, is a seaside village just five kilometers down the road from Ocumare de la Costa. Here a handful of cooperatives are making their own chocolate products using the organic single-origin cocoa grown In Ocumare. I chose Cata’s Cocoa, a local chocolatier, to help market their products internationally. For marketing purposes, the name of the product was changed slightly to Cata Cocoa. By eliminating the s, the name rolled off the palette easily. The Gotta Hava Cata candy bar, Cata Cocoa Protein Punch and Jungle Vine Chocolate Wine were the products chosen to market. The target audience I aimed towards was a higher end, health conscious clientele; with product being sold to specialty, luxury and health food stores. Cata Cocoa’s mission is to offer outstanding single-origin organic cocoa products while supporting local farmers, environmental practices and returning 10% of their proceeds to help other small local businesses.
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the growing process Cocoa Growers Venezuela has been known to grow some of the world’s finest cocoa. It used to be their number one export prior to
Seeds are fermented by covering them with large leaves
the discovery of petroleum. Their goal is to make cocoa a number one export once again. While researching Venezuelan cocoa production, I discovered Ocumare de la Costa. Ocumare is west of Caracas off the coastline and one of several communities in the region
Then they are sun dried for about six days
that have switched from conventional growing to organic. This shift is supported by the Venezuelan government and local nonprofit, Tierra Viva. The growers make up small groups of farmers and tiny
Workers sort, clean and weigh the dried cocoa seeds
handfuls of cooperatives. Many growers no longer sell their cocoa to local intermediaries and process on site. First seeds are fermented, then sun dried for about six days. They are then cleaned, sorted and weighed before placing into large sacks for export. Thanks to all the local and
The cocoa is placed into large sacks for export
international support, In the past three years, annual cocoa production has doubled in Venezuela.
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research
mood board Here are the original images I tapped into to create my mood board and begin research on Venezuela and cocoa growing. Researching online and collecting images just for this mood board took days, but it offered great inspiration as I began the project and was well worth the time. As you look at the mood board you will find the actual organic farmers and workers in Ocumare dela Costa. The woman in red in the bottom left quadrant is the chocolate maker and owner of Cata’s Cocoa. Cata’s Cocoa’s locally manufactured products are pictured center and bottom.
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research
color palette Creating color palettes was a blast! I sampled colors from the images on my mood board, then placed the sampled colors within rectangular shapes, making sure to label and group them appropriately. I used these palettes specifically for all aspects of the project: from the logo, to packaging, to this book. Along the way, I discovered the color connection between artists and nature. How nature provides us with perfectly balanced palettes from which artists can draw from. It’s something I had never considered before. The colors I chose to use for the company logo and packaging for Cata Cocoa came from the cocoa growing and drying palettes. For this publication, I explored and intermixed color palettes.
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art : mural
art : glass
culture : textiles
cocoa : growing
cocoa : dried
cocoa : process | ship
culture : flag | seal
historic : map
tradition : festival
tradition : mask
culture : money
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logo design
the process Initially I wanted to design a logo for Cata Cocoa with an organic feel. Seemed like a logical direction, considering the subject matter. However, the process led me in a different direction, which often happens. With encouragement to craft our own logo font, I found myself moving in the direction of a more elegant logo to match the new font, rather than the original earthy illustration I’d come up with. More research, and I came upon body painting, which is an art form in Venezuela. Inspired by the beauty of the designs, a new logo image was crafted. Both font and image can be used alone or in unison.
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VE
NEZUELAN
CHO
Fonts : Phase one : Organic chocolatey font exploration
C O L AT E
Logo : Phase one : Using initial pre-made font, I was going for a very organic stamped trademark logo
cocoa Fonts : Phase two : First version of handcrafted font, still organic but with a touch of elegance
Logo : Phase two : Second possible logo to use with initial font idea, illustration of the inside of a halved cocoa bean
cocoa Fonts : Phase three : Final version of handcrafted font
Logo : Phase three : Final logo choice to accompany the more elegant handcrafted font
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final font | logo
cocoa
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product design
chocolate bar The Gotta Hava Cata candy bar was the first product label to be designed. You’ll notice how the name of the bar pops with the application of a bright yellow font. This was done intentionally to help draw the shopper’s attention to the product on store shelves, and to ensure easy recognition for repeat purchasing. Remaining colors used in the label design are earthy, rich and chocolatey, giving a yummy feel for the product. There is also a dreamy quality inspired by the logo art. The low contrast between the logo and background colors create a feeling that they’re snuggled in together. The circles of the logo, much like thought bubbles rising, inspire the sense of dreaming about Venezuelan chocolate. In its entirety, the package was intended to emulate the experience one has when an exceptional piece of chocolate melts in the mouth.
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gotta hava cata
Nutrition Facts Serving Size 12 pieces (40g) Servings 2
venezuela
Amount Per Serving
Calories 230 Fat Cal. 140 % Daily Value
75% Cocoa Content
Total Fat 16g Saturated Fat 6g Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 10mg Sodium 20mg Total Carbohydrate 18g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 15g Protein 5g
ORGANIC
Vitamin A Calcium
0% 10%
Vitamin C Iron
24% 32% 3% 1% 6% 9%
0% 4%
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Supported by the World Cocoa Foundation, Tierra Viva and the government of Venezuela.
Cata Cocoa
certified organic
cocoa
www.catacocoa.com Product of Cata, Venezuela
Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs net wt. 3.5 oz (100g)
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Ingredients: Dark Chocolate/Cocoa Mass, Unbleached Water, Filtered Beet Sugar, Soy Lecithin (as an emulsifier), Natural Vanilla, Cocoa Nibs. 100% ETHICALLY TRADED MADE FROM VENEZUELAN SINGLE ORIGIN COCOA
product design
wine labels Again, my goal was to communicate a look full of richness and quality when designing the Jungle Vine Chocolate Wine label. By utilizing the back label as the informational source, I was able to craft an exceptionally simplistic, clean and classic front label. Doing this created a successful balance, both visually and interpretively. While always striving for a feeling of elegance with the Cata Cocoa products, it was equally important to impart the friendly culture and unpretentious nature of its roots.
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(”TASTING COCOA”) cocoa
Named after the small Venezuelan seaside village which it resides in, Cata is only five kilometers down the road from Ocumare de la Costa, where some of the world’s finest cocoa is grown. We use our neighbor’s fresh, rich and organic cocoa to make our luxurious chocolate wine. Cheers! FROM THE CATA COCOA VITNERS COLLECTION WWW.CATACOCOA.COM PRODUCED & BOTTLED BY CATA COCOA CATA, VENEZUELA
JUNGLE VINE CHOCOLATE WINE
SPONSORED BY THE WORLD COCOA FOUNDATION
venezuela
GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) ACCORDING TO THE SURGEON GENERAL, WOMEN SHOULD NOT DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES DURING PREGNANCY BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF BIRTH DEFECTS. (2) CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IMPAIRS YOUR ABILITY TO DRIVE A CAR OR OPERATE MACHINERY, AND MAY CAUSE HEALTH PROBLEMS.
2007
750ml ALC. 14.5% BY VOL CONTAINS SULFITES
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product design
protein punch Utilizing the stylization already in place with the wine and chocolate bar, I began building the final product label. Since the shape of the wine bottle chosen was tall and slender, it only made sense to choose a similar shape for the Cata Cocoa Protein Punch organic chocolate shake container. This shape brought forth new design challenges, which were met head on! I basically divided information into thirds, and Viola! the final product label was complete.
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90% ORGANIC INGREDIENTS About Cata Cocoa Named after the small Venezuelan seaside village which it resides in, Cata, meaning tasting, is only five kilometers down the road from Ocumare de la Costa, where some of the world’s finest cocoa is grown. At Cata Cocoa, we make delicious chocolate, using organic cocoa freshly picked by our local farmers. Enjoy our creamy cata cocoa protein punch. We also invite you to try our gotta hava cata chocolate bar made with Merey cashew nuts, and the luxurious flavors of our jungle vine chocolate wine. We wish to thank Tierra Viva, the Venezuelan government and the World Cocoa Foundation. Because of their support, groups of farmers and cooperatives are transitioning to organic cocoa farms. They have also played a large part in getting our products to you. In response, 10% of all our profits will be donated to these organizations so they may support others.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 8 Fl. Oz. (240mL) Servings Per Container about 2
cocoa
PROTEIN PUNCH
organic chocolate shake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 170 Calories from Fat 35 % Daily Value
Total Fat Fat 3.5g Saturated Fat 0.5g Sodium 240mg Potassium 470mg Total Carbohydrate 24g Sugars 20g Protein 10g Calcium 35% Vitamin B6 100% Phosphorus 30% Zinc 20% Manganese 35%
6% 4% 10% 13% 8% 20%
Iron 15% Vitamin B12 100% Magnesium 15% Copper 20%
Not a significant source of trans fat, cholesterol, dietary fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Take a break and discover the rich flavors of Venezuela within our cocoa products.
INGREDIENTS: ORGANIC NONFAT MILK, RICE DREAM, ORGANIC BANANA PUREE, ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, WHEY PROTEIN, ORGANIC VENEZUELAN COCOA, BREWERS YEAST, VANILLA EXTRACT AND SEA SALT. Distributed by Cata Cocoa, Cata, Venezuela Certified organic by Quality Assurance International
IMPORTANT: MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED
Supported by the World Cocoa Foundation, Tierra Viva and the government of Venezuela.
www.catacocoa.com
500ml (16.9 fl oz)
Please recycle this container
results
product photo shoot Once the dimensional products were complete, I was matched up with Sheryll Byrne and Steven Lenhart, second year photography students in the Mt. Hood Community College Digital Photography program. I was interested in a very clean and simple photo shoot displaying the entire line of products together. We shot the products on a piece of plastic, using lighting to create shadows. It was an enlightening experience. Because my three product containers were so different from one another, glass, plastic and foil, my request was more challenging than I’d considered from the photographer’s stand point. Lighting and camera flash on the products created glare spots and strange reflections in the photos. I chose to display the final real life products in this publication without shadows on a white background.
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Content Acknowledgment
Cover photograph : Olga Kushcheva ~ Dreamstime Product photograph : Sheryll Byrne and Steven Lenhart All other photographs were collected over the internet
Fonts used: Myriad Pro : (used for body and main content) Condensed ~ Condensed Italic ~ Light ~ Semibold Powhattan : (used for title and main headers) Freebooter Script : (used as a flourish in the title with the word of)
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