seymourpwell newsletter spring 2010
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OUR NEWS
The toughest footrace on Earth
NEWSLETTER SPRING 2010
OUR NEWS
In April 2010, Seymourpowell’s very own Adrian Caroen and Ketan Mistry will take part in the 25th Marathon Des Sables, also known as the ‘toughest footrace on Earth.’ Lasting 6 days, the race involves running a distance of 150 miles (equivalent to five and half standard marathons!), through the Sahara Desert carrying food and gear in backpacks. Competitors will face scorching mid-day temperatures of up to 120 degrees, and a mix of testing surfaces including salt flats, rocks and endless sand dunes – no mean feat!
Adrian and Ketan are running for a charity called Facing Africa that helps treat children
in Ethiopia and Nigeria with a ravaging gangrenous infection called NOMA. They are hoping to raise £15,000 so that Facing Africa can provide much needed supplies, doctors, plastic surgeons, drugs and medical equipment.
It’s a huge commitment and a fantastic cause, so please join us in giving Adrian and Ketan any support you can.
You can find out more about the race, ways to donate, Facing Africa and NOMA at www.facing150.com and on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=230218428847
The toughest footrace on Earth
Scorching mid-day temperatures of up to 120 degrees, and a mix of testing surfaces.
Lasting 6 days, the race involves running a distance of 150 miles.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the latest newsletter from leading design and innovation company Seymourpowell.
Throughout 2010 we look forward to bringing you all the very latest news and developments from across the business, including updates on work and projects undertaken, as well as up-and-coming events.
Most recently, you may have seen media coverage for Seymourpowell’s visionary work on the Aircruise concept. The news has been highly successful and helped bolster our reputation globally.
Read on for more information on Aircruise and the rest of our recent news. If you have any questions or comments about anything in the newsletter please contact Nichola Rinks on [email protected] or +44 (0) 20 7381 6433.
PHOTOGRAPHY (COVER/RIGHT): MARK GILLETT, JUNGLEMOON IMAGES
OUR NEWS
In February we unveiled full details to the world of our visionary transportation concept, Aircruise – a giant, vertical airship powered by natural energy and designed to carry travellers in style and luxury.
Originally a self-generated project, Seymourpowell’s Aircruise is the concept design for a hotel in the sky, with low passenger numbers and huge internal spaces offering rooms for living, dining and relaxing, as well as scope for dramatic and inspirational public spaces. The initial design proposes a bar/lounge zone, four duplex apartments, a penthouse and five smaller apartments.
The concept subsequently captured the imagination of Korean giant Samsung Construction and Trading (C&T). Driven by its interest in new materials for building, Samsung C&T appointed Seymourpowell to refine the idea and produce a detailed computer animation of the proposed experience to illustrate this visionary approach to the future. The video can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP15Vgt55Gk.
Seymourpowell’s Aircruise concept presents an alternative take on the future, suggesting ‘slow is the new fast’. Nick Talbot, design director at Seymourpowell explains, “The Aircruise concept questions whether the future of luxury travel should be based around space-constrained, resource hungry, and all too often stressful airline travel. He continues, “On Aircruise, it is the very abundance of time and space that defines the luxury experience. In a world where speed is an almost universal obsession, the idea of making a leisurely journey in comfort is a welcome contrast.” Although only a conceptual proposal, the transportation design team at Seymourpowell developed a detailed and achievable technical specification for the craft.
Aircruise – a clipper in the skyOn Aircruise, it is the
very abundance of time and space that defines the luxury experience. In a world where speed is an almost universal obsession, the idea of making a leisurely journey in comfort is a welcome contrast.
slow is the new fast...
OUR NEWS
Seymourpowell wins OTC Marketing Award for ‘Best New OTC Packaging Design’
Seymourpowell is happy to announce that it has won the OTC Marketing Award for ‘Best New OTC Packaging Design’. At the gala event on 4 March, the award was presented to Seymourpowell for its packaging design of PediTech ActiFreeze, a new generation wart and verruca remover product by Passion For Life Healthcare.
The winning Seymourpowell design received high praise from the panel of judges who awarded it 58 points out of a maximum possible of 60. Other nominees in the same category included Pentagram and Rare Design. In another category, ‘Most Innovative New OTC Product’, PediTech ActiFreeze also came a close runner-up.
Matt Navier, Brand Manager at Passion For Life Healthcare said, “We’re delighted Seymourpowell has been recognised for their work on ActiFreeze. The design team created an identity that challenges the category norms, giving us great brand presence at point of purchase.”
Seymourpowell created a norm-breaking design for Lil-lets compact applicator launched in 2009. The distinctive, contemporary presentation elevated the brand presence on shelf with a bold and confident idea of being part of essential everyday items in a woman’s handbag.
Lil-lets tasked Seymourpowell with creating a packaging design that would establish Lil-lets compact applicator as a strong challenger to Tampax. The packaging needed to give the range its own identity, appealing to a slightly younger user than the existing 20-plus
year old. Other goals were to ensure that women became aware that Lil-lets produces an applicator product with superior performance, understanding the existing customers as well as articulating the brand’s personality attributes – savvy, considered, confident and empowering. These ideas were central to the formation of the core proposition – ‘tailored for real women’.
The result is sassy yet feminine packaging, with strong product communication supported by a direct challenge to Tampax with Lil-lets ‘no leaks guaranteed’ seal of authority.
Designing to challenge the market leader
tailored for real women
OUR NEWS
Axe deodorant (Lynx in the UK) had huge brand awareness amongst consumers, thanks to a high impact advertising campaign. But what did consumers really think of the brand? And how can its attributes be consistently delivered again and again through product design and retail packaging?
Working with the Axe team, Seymourpowell’s powerful Brand DNA tool revealed the answers. The hugely successful Brand DNA tool strips a brand to its absolute essentials, using detailed ethnographic and product research to reveal what the product really means to consumers. At the same time it builds up the visual language needed to take that brand promise forward through strategic product innovation. The resultant Axe DNA outlined how its existing emotional qualities – humour, sexual attraction and a play on male security – should be reflected in the design language for the brand, and in the ongoing design of the product packaging itself.
Axe’s products all now reflect the same personality, being confident and mature whilst delivering a feeling of fun and knowing playfulness. This was reflected in the award winning Neutron can, with its twist cap that takes cues from zoom camera lenses and similar boy friendly gadgets, encouraging
playful, tactile engagement with the product. Most recently, Seymourpowell used this design language to create the structural packaging for a new range of US hair care products for the brand. Best known for its body care range, Axe has now expanded into hair care with Axe Hair. The new range includes a complete line of shampoos, a conditioner and styling products and is the most significant innovation since the brand entered the North American market in 2002.
Adrian Caroen, director at Seymourpowell, explains: “The Axe Hair range is extremely comprehensive and provides solutions to specific hair needs, making it easy for guys to navigate their way through the products. The packaging needed to reflect this and blends a sense of masculinity with the confident look and feel of professional hair care.”
The shampoo and conditioner structure utilises latest blow moulded colour graduation technology for maximum shelf impact while the push button cap makes the product easier to use.
Embodying the essence of a brand
a twist cap that takes cues from zoom camera lenses and similar boy friendly gadgets...
The hugely successful Brand DNA tool strips a brand to its absolute essentials.
OUR NEWS
We work with clients and share our ability to forecast and interpret the vital implications of human behaviour.
We work out possible scenarios to give our clients the confidence and reassurance they are making the right decision.
We are ultimately about making things better: better for people, better for business and better for the world.
INSIGHT STRATEGY DESIGN
Business Forensics
Design Forensics
Technical Forensics
Manufacturing Forensics
Scenario Planning
Commercial Planning
Financial Modelling
Market Intelligence
Ergonomics & Styling
Concept Generating
Design Development
Prototype and Modelling
Ethnographic Studies
Observation Labs
Trend & Category Mapping
Consumer Segmentation
Business Strategy
Brand Strategy
Portfolio Strategy
Design Strategy
Interactive Animation
Supply Chain & Logistics
Manufacturing Management
FORENSICS FORESIGHT PLANNING STRATEGY CONCEPT & DESIGN DELIVERY
What We Do
Out and about – eventsMARCH
Global Electronics Forum (GEF) in Singapore David Fisher presented on the future of technology.
Economist Conference: The Big Rethink – Redesigning Business SummitRichard Seymour spoke on ‘the design perspective’ case study.
Design Day NorwayRichard Seymour travelled to Oslo in March to speak at Design Day Norway, the annual event organised by the Norwegian Design Council.
JUNE
Institute of Travel & Tourism 2010 Conference Nick Talbot will present on the future of travel and transport.
THROUGHOUT 2010
Seymourpowell will be collaborating with the Design Council on a number of forthcoming events including Design Bugs Out II, the Design Museum’s exhibition on sustainable design and a masterclass on design-led innovation.
Further to our work with the V&A last year, Seymourpowell is working with
the educational events team again this year to deliver a DesignLab workshop and teachers symposium. We’ll also be present at this year’s Creative Quarter event.
Extending our relationship with the V&A, later in the year Seymourpowell will host a creative industries event – an interactive evening session in the V&A’s new Sackler Centre.
Finally, in the autumn Richard Seymour will host a conversation with Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic in the Sackler Centre’s brand new 250-seater auditorium. Details to follow soon.
If you want to know more or join us, here is where we can be seen this year...
OUR NEWS
Contact us
SEYmOuRPOwELL LTD327 Lillie RoadLondon, SW6 7NRUnited Kingdom
T +44 (0) 20 7381 6433F +44 (0) 20 7381 9081
contemporary styling whilst being intuitive, robust, lightweight and suitable for use in all environments
Seymourpowell worked alongside EMS Technologies to design their first personal tracking device. The product offers two-way communication, tracking and alerting for individuals and fleets across the globe.
EMS Technologies are a global leader in tracking and search and rescue technology. They identified that there was a gap in the market for a personal tracking device that uses the reliability of the Inmarsat satellite
constellation to offer a cost-effective terminal for tracking, communicating and managing personnel in remote and dangerous locations.
Using our experience from mobile communications projects and previous waterproof consumer devices we were able to design a product that offers contemporary styling whilst being intuitive, robust, lightweight and suitable for use in all environments.
New product development for extreme environments