LILAC PRODUCT PACKAGE

The project

Kristy from Okay Lady mindful puzzles had an idea for a deluxe puzzle using the work of Australian female illustrators that celebrates women, highlights self care and centres around the message of ‘JOMO’ - joy of missing out. 

The brief was clear: A puzzle with a strong point of difference, no daggy scenes and next level packaging that the buyer will be delighted to display for years to come.

Design ideas

Kristy wanted a puzzle that wouldn’t be too overwhelming so we decided on a square format puzzle that could be completed in a couple of days.

With the product design decided upon, it was time to work on ideas to reimagine the humble puzzle with lush graphics, high-end packaging and thoughtful details to make the gifting experience unforgettable.

Kristy already had a great logo so all that was needed was to update the colour palette to align with the product. 

After getting ideas moving with some mood boards, the brand palette Kristy chose featured blush and terracotta colours based on interior trends which would appeal to Okay Lady’s customers. We then worked with a selected group of Australian based illustrators to adjust their colour ways to complement the packaging and create a cohesive look across the product range.

The difference is in the detail

Every part of this product was considered. While the back of a standard puzzle is typically grey in colour, Kristy wanted to include this area of the puzzle into the design and we came up with an idea for a two-colour pattern for a more dynamic product. 

A vivid copper foil was printed onto uncoated stock, along with the brand colours for a consistently vibrant look across each puzzle. 

The packaging needed to wow as much as the product, so we decided to house the puzzle in a cylinder that the consumer would love to display on a sideboard or table. Open the cylinder and there’s a pretty custom branded canvas bag to hold all the pieces in. 

To really elevate that gifting experience, the puzzle was wrapped in eco-friendly tissue printed with the Okay Lady manifesto in a typographic form. And finally, the shipper was custom designed to fit the cylinder to avoid any excess packaging.

The outcome

The unique, cleverly designed packaging gained attention on TV, magazines and social media and was awarded a ‘Merit’ at the AGDA graphic design awards. 

Okay Lady also manifested over 10 thousand followers on social media with its consistent and humorous take on self care and community.

And with this product, Okay Lady tapped into a market that took off at the height of the pandemic, filling a need for a luxurious way to while away the hours and experiencing JOMO. 

Kristy says

‘Maria is an exquisitely talented graphic designer who not only created the beautiful packaging that our puzzles come in, but helped me (someone with zero product design experience) take my ideas for a product, that would in every aspect be custom designed, and made them a reality’

-Kristy, Okay Lady Mindful Puzzles