PACKAGING DESIGN &
RESEARCH
(ft. BERKELEY INNOVATION)
CONSULTING PROJECT
SEPT - DEC 2020
PROJECT
TEAM
SETUP & RESEARCH
ERIN RAIRDAN
SYNTHESIS
KELLY LIU
IDEATION
SREYA CHERUKURI
PROTOTYPING & WRAP UP
AARON WU
PROJECT MENTOR
EDWARD CHEN
Patagonia is an American clothing company known for their strong stance on environmentalism, sustainability, and ethics.
They came to Berkeley Innovation, a student run
human centered design consultancy at UC Berkeley, to ask:
"How might we design a viable, sustainable, and digital shopping experience via packaging?"
THE
SOLUTION
A simplified and streamlined hang tag that only contains the essential information & a QR code that contains everything else.
WHY?
Utilizing a QR Code not only streamlines the amount of information readily available on the hang tag but also allows us to integrate the DIGITAL with the PHYSICAL experience.
By decreasing the physical space we use and integrating digital spaces, we increase the total amount of real estate available, allowing us to curate personalized and immersive experiences for the consumer both at home and in store.
This inherently also increases the sustainability of the hang tags, aligning with Patagonia's core values.
USER FLOW
User scans the QR code at the back of the hang tag to learn more about a product.
The user is directed to a web page, the contents of which are determined by the location and status of the item scanned.
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE
Scanning the hang tag of an already purchased product leads the user to an order page through Patagonia, where they can view their order details and navigate returns/exchanges.
OR
IN STORE EXPERIENCE
If the user is in store, the QR code will direct them to an online page where they can learn more about the functionalities and details of a product, including care info and integrated technologies.
IN STORE EXPERIENCE
PART OF THE USER JOURNEY: Exploration, in-store shopping
LANDING PAGE
QR code opens up into a corresponding product information page where users can learn more about product details such as care information, sizing, materials used, and how Patagonia sources and creates garments.
Share nearby availabilities of certain sizes of items if store is out of stock.
Learn about product details, see reviews, and about Patagonia as a brand.
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE
PART OF THE USER JOURNEY: Receiving an item of purchase in a package and unboxing it at home.
LANDING PAGE
Order details and receipt at the top of the page for quick and easy access.
Delivery Status
As the user scrolls down, they have the opportunity to interact with Patagonia's Activism content and learn more about the brand and their values.
Banner that opens into a visually rich, interactive video that details how Patagonia sources materials, creates garments, and highlights the brand's core values and practices.
But how did we get here?
Scroll to learn more.
CONTEXT
Patagonia is known for making a statement with their tags. But as a company that values sustainability, how do their hang tags fit into the picture?
VOTE THE A**HOLES OUT TAG
PATAGONIA DENIM ARCHIVE
The Old* Hang Tag
Demoted to the "old" hang tag early 2020 (Forbes), this hang tag was a super dense, highly informational and characterized by a color coded tab system.
This packaging program required 20 distinct hang tags (ranging in size, style) accompanied by 453 unique tag inserts that encompassed information such as washing instructions, material information, the sustainability of the piece, and use cases.
How can we retain the functionality of the old hang tag while also being more eco-conscious and engaging?
RESEARCH
SECONDARY RESEARCH
Understand the project space, specifically recent/groundbreaking advances in technology relating sustainability and digital spaces
SURVEY
Understand North American shopping habits, attitudes towards current hang tag designs, and familiarity with QR codes
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
Understand how Patagonia customers interact with hang tags in the context of a brick and mortar Patagonia stores and test out early design directions
Statistical reports, market research of up and coming sustainable materials (including mushroom based styrofoam and kelp ink), and competitor analysis of other similar brands' tags.
The survey was conducted through Qualtrics and garnered 281 responses, which consisted mainly of Canadian and American consumers.
Contextual inquiries were conducted in person by my team in the San Francisco and Toronto Patagonia stores and consisted of asking customers to interact with QR codes and early prototypes.
INSIGHTS & SYNTHESIS
When interacting with hang tags, Patagonia consumers look at:
1. Price
2. Fit/Feel
3. Size
4. Impact
In order of decreasing importance.
As price increases, consumers look for more information about a product to justify a purchase
Consumers cited reviews, similar items, and product material as information they specifically look for.
Consumers are familiar with QR codes, but express distrust and an unwillingness to scan if they do not know where the QR code will lead them.
TARGET USER GROUP
The loyal Patagonia customer. They're familiar with the brand and its products and align with their missions and values.
QUESTIONS MOVING FORWARD
1. How can we integrate physical and digital spaces?
2. What is the middle ground between what information the customer wants to know/see and what
information needs to be on a hang tag?
3. How can we give consumers a wholistic view of a product that takes advantage of digital spaces while maintaining
aspects of an immersive in store experience?
IDEATION & WIREFRAMES
Ideating in-store immersive experiences
Playing with hierarchy and understanding what information is necessary v.s superfluous
Exploring interaction patterns, flows and information hierarchy
FINAL SOLUTION
A HANG TAG UTILIZING A QR CODE TO BRIDGE PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL EXPERIENCES FOR THE AT HOME AND IN STORE CONSUMER.
We solved for two parties:
The client, Patagonia, whose goal was to:
Reduce waste and increase sustainability without sacrificing customer needs and desires.
Our solution cut the amount of parts and inserts needed from 453 unique types of tags to just 3 tags, varying in size and design based on the type of product but staying consistent content wise.
and the loyal Patagonia customer, who desires to
Have an intuitive shopping experience both at home and in store where they can learn all about products in one centralized place.
The QR codes on the hang tags lead to two landing pages depending on the location of the tag: one for an in store shopper wanting to learn more about an item, and one for a customer unboxing their items at home.
ENDING THOUGHTS & FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Overall, this project was super educational, rigorous, and enjoyable.
I learned how to
work within brand and clothing tag restrictions,
navigate working virtually with an international team (US & Canada) during the pandemic,
defend design decisions,
& more.
Regarding future considerations,
I would have enjoyed conducting usability tests and working more closely with Patagonia's design and research teams to analyze and synthesize metrics and findings from our research, as well as have more time to explore other parts of the in store and unboxing experiences, namely the packages orders come in as well as how to utilize the physical space in store to curate a more immersive and informative experience.