This document discusses branding and design trends, including visual authenticity, luxury of less, ultra-pure, and biobased packaging. It notes that visual authenticity features handwritten elements and natural colors. Luxury of less represents understated luxury goods with subtle textures and soft colors. Ultra-pure takes minimalism to the extreme with stark, abstract designs using only basic shapes and typography. Biobased packaging involves innovative, sustainable materials inspired by nature. The document provides characteristics and examples of each trend.

1. the conviction behind it.
Put the brand in the heart of business strategy
The product, the promise, the experience, and
Reverse engineering of a brand design project.
BRANDING
& DESIGN

2. RESEARCH
The importance of research and observation.
Observe and understand human behavior is the first
step of the design process. Good design encourages
good habits, simplifies people’s lifes and adds value.
Since the product is going to be part of the user expe-
rience the designer has to observe human interactions
and behaviors in order to shape the best relation
between the user and the brand.
Research helps to keep a direction and to syntetize
areas of interest. The output of the research step is
usually a map of trend (macro and micro). This map is
a usefull tool to start identify the scenario we want our
product to be part of.
SOCIAL TREND
CONSUMPTION TREND
PRODUCT TREND
SCENARIO
Design tools to drive the project
Design is not just about how things looks like, it’s
about their identity and personality. Brands are not
alone in the market, they play with competitors and
partners. Design tools helps brand to shape their iden-
tity in relation to the context that is fluid and dynamic.
The scenario is like a blurred landscape of opportuni-
ty for the brand. The concept is an hypothesis of focus
inside a scenario. The concept is the core, the insight,
the DNA that inspires and shapes everything.
DRIVERS OF INNOVATION
MAP OF BRAND POSITIONING

3. CONCEPT
The concept is the core, the insight, the DNA that inspire
everything. The concept is the unique MIX that makes
the brand “protected” from copies and weak positioning.
STORYTELLING
POSITIONING
MISSION/VISION
VALUES
PROMISE
IDENTITY
Doesn’t matter wich is the field of application of the
design process, the identity is the tangible application
of a concept. Identity is the step of shaping.
VISUAL
PHYSICAL
DIGITAL
INTANGIBLE SERVICES

4. 2015 DESIGN TREND
last update March 2015
VISUAL AUTHENTICITY
LUXURY OF LESS
ULTRA-PURE
BIOBASED
VISUAL AUTHENTICITY
Visual Authenticity is a trend that marks a significant
departure from the mainstream, yet it is quickly be-
coming mainstream in itself. This trend visually marks
a complete rejection of established corporate brand
design. Visual Authenticity is a response to shifting
consumer values, with many consumers no longer
wanting to rely on, or trusting, established brands.
Appetites are skewing towards more real, quality and
honest products. Products that appear uncomplica-
ted, yet are crafted, maybe even vintage inspired. It’s
about products that illustrate trust and create inadver-
tent human connection.
TREND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Handwritten, raw, freeform, or sketchy typography
- May include vintage inspired references or typo
- Hand rendered, simple illustrations
- Natural color palettes

5. LUXURY OF LESS
Luxury of Less is a trend that represents a new gene-
ration of luxury goods that are less reliant on establi-
shed luxury brands names and ostentatious, flashy,
over-design. In this post-recession era, a new wave
of luxury branding is emerging, especially in Western
cultures. I call this the Luxury of Less. In this new era,
packaging design and luxury branding are being desi-
gned to whisper, rather than shout. The era where the
overall brand experience is valued almost as much as
the actual product itself. Often times, more. Although
the economic climate has changed for luxury brands,
there is still a strong need for their brands to express
quality, heritage, provenance, and luxury values.
Gone are the days of excess, over done, and unappro-
achable branding. This new wave is all about brands
that are exude class, rather than flash. Subtle cues in
the packaging are the most important aspect of the
brand. It is a return to a well-crafted and well-conside-
red notion of luxury.
TREND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Subtle, understated design cues
- Tactile textures
- Soft, understated color palettes
- Hand drawn icons, emblems, or graphic elements
ULTRA-PURE
Ultra-Pure is a trend where brands are looking to cre-
ate pure, stark, highly minimal stripped back brands,
packaging systems, and brand environments. This
trend is a reaction to growing consumer appreciation
and desire for minimally designed brands and pro-
ducts. Ultra-Pure takes brand minimalism a step far-
ther: It is the process or reducing a brand’s essence
into the purest, simplest abstract form. It is the oppo-
site of excess, it is the ultimate expression of brand
purity.
The brand is typically expressed through simple ab-
stract shapes, usually representing some aspect of
the product itself. It relies on an absence of branding:
there are usually no traditional logos. Rather, brands
following this trend typically use simple sans-serif
style typography for both the brand’s logo and the
packaging typography. Ultra-Pure is a bold brand sta-
tement, usually with monochromatic or dichromatic
color schemes.
TREND CHARACTERISTICS:
- Monochromatic or dichromatic
- Straight forward and stark design
- No traditional logos, generally a minimal word mark
- Abstract, geometric shapes, patterns, graphic elements

6. BIO BASED
Biobased packaging is not necessarily a new trend in
package design, rather, it is a next- generation techno-
logical evolution of sustainable packaging materials.
Consumers are demanding pure, honest, and environ-
mentally responsible products and packaging. There
has been a recent surge of new Bio-Tech substrate in-
novations inspired by nature, with the goal of reducing
our carbon footprint. Packaging designers themselves
have become much more aware, and hyper-vigilant
about the problem of packaging waste and its impact
on our planet, and how it will affect the next generation
of humanity. We are beginning to feel a real obligation
to push the boundaries of packaging substrates in or-
der to protect the future of our the planet. That’s no
easy task.Luckily, these new sustainable packaging
innovations are on the horizon, and designers, compa-
nies, and consumers are beginning to experiment with
these new innovative substrates.
TREND CHARACTERISTICS:
- New innovative substrates made from natural mate-
rials
- Inspired by the biology of nature
- Edible packaging substrates
- Carbon Neutral
ABOUT ME
I’m a brand designer specialized in the organic co-
smetic market. I help my clients to shape their brand
from zero. I collaborate with copywriter, illustrators,
web and app developers, printers... to convert in rea-
lity all the brand touch point.
In 2013 I’ve founded AGRONAUTI COSMETICS,
a vegan organic brand of beauty products.
Since 2014 I’m partner at BLANCO YOGA Studio.
I’d like to know more about you.
www.robertagheda.it
info@robertagheda.it

7. MY WORK
Published works
BIO A+OE
AGRONAUTI COSMETICS