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Etereo

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Interviews with Etereo

Read the interviews with Etereo: understand their philosophy, creative process and award-winning work.

Designer Profile

Design Interview

Adore Repackaging Sanitary Pads · 19 questions

ADORE is designed for the modern woman who is independent, professional and confident. ADORE new look is chic in its simplicity and yet functional in its clean design.

What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

ADORE is designed for the modern woman who is independent, professional and confident. ADORE new look is chic in its simplicity and yet functional in its clean design.

What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

Our main focus for this project is to create a design that appeals to modern females today. We aim to keep the design trendy while keeping it minimalist. To do so, we used the Typeface as the main design element for this project.

What are your future plans for this award winning design?

We would like to expand this design concept to the other range of ADORE’s brand, to reinforce her brand identity across her products.

How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

The whole process from conceptualisation to execution took about 6 months. Design concept took about half of the project length. The project started in November 2018 and was launched in Islandwide in Singapore in April 2019.

Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

We are commissioned by ADORE to recreate a new packaging experience, accompanied by a rebranding strategy to strengthen her brand positioning.

Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

This new packaging of ADORE has already been launched islanding wide in Singapore in April 2019.

What made you design this particular type of work?

As a Creative Brand Agency, we believe that good packaging design plays an important role in branding your products and differentiate yourself from your competitors. We would say that we helped our client to stay ahead of the competition, and Packaging design is one of the ways that we can help them to do so.

Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

No. We developed the design based on the discussion with the ADORE Product Manager and through a survey that has been conducted on modern females, to better understand the preference in design for sanitary packaging. We took into account the design of Competitors’ brands to ensure that our design will stand out among them.

Who is the target customer for his design?

Modern females, inclusive but not limited to office ladies, mothers and students.

What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

The Typeface used. To characterize ADORE, we used Aloja, a handwritten font to recreate a sense of youth and vibrancy. The overall design is minimal against a plain background to draw attention to the product benefits which ADORE wants to focus - feminine health! It is the first in the market to use a loud and fun font as the core design element on the packaging.

How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

ADORE is the brand name of the product. It also means to ADORE yourself and provide yourself with the best feminine care that you deserve!

Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

Adobe Creative Suites

What is the most unique aspect of your design?

The simplicity of the design and just focusing on the typeface to create this design.

Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

We worked in with our design team in the conceptualisation of this project, through various rounds of research and discussions. We also worked closely with the Product Manager of ADORE in the development of this Packaging Design to better understand ADORE’s target audience. It takes strong teamwork and hard work from the members to have this project realised.

What is the role of technology in this particular design?

The ADORE product is developed by her very own breakthrough technology that features green compound strips bonded with far-infrared rays and nano ag to eliminate bacteria.

Every material and component of ADORE Sanitary pads are carefully selected and sourced from Japan, Korea and Malaysia.⁣ The sanitary pads packaging is designed as a fully sealed aluminium packaging with re-sealing ability, with the goal of keeping the sanitary pads germs and bacteria-free.

Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

A survey has been conducted on this group of females, to better understand the preference in design for sanitary packaging. From our survey results, we researched and expanded our design concepts based on what interests the target audience most.

What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

The challenge is to design an entirely new look for ADORE while at the same time, maintaining ADORE's strong brand recognition among her loyal customer base.

Another challenge is to ensure the dimensions for the design will be sustainable and viable. While working on the prototype to ensure that the measurements are workable, we printed the artwork on poster-sized Artcards and folded them into boxes to test on the functionality. After rounds of adjustments and refinements on the designs, we then finalised on the right sizings to fit in the required pads and proceed with mass production.

How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

We are very proud of how ADORE’s Packaging turns out to be and would like to take this opportunity to have our work presented to the Global community. To have more people know about etereo and Adore.

What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

Packaging Design is not just about being visually attractive, it has to be functional and sustainable. To accomplish this, it requires a high level of patience and perseverance to get through the numerous rounds of amendments and test printings.

Design Legend Interview

48 questions

I have been with Etereo for 5 years, starting out as a Marketing Executive, Etereo gave me the opportunity to lead this project, from design concept to execution.

Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

I have been with Etereo for 5 years, starting out as a Marketing Executive, Etereo gave me the opportunity to lead this project, from design concept to execution. Together with my team, we are very proud and happy with how the design turns out to be. Etereo was founded in 2015 as a creative agency that specialises in Branding, from conceptualisation to activation. We have a dynamic team that is never satisfied with the norm and take pride in every design that we created. Each design is unique. No design is a repetition from the past.

What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

As a business student for 6 years, I always find joy and passion in creative media and arts instead of business theories. I love to draw and found myself spending more and more time on design art software, creating designs during my free time. And that was the time, I know that Design will be the right choice for me to pursue in my career.

Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

I am sure that I chose and decided to become a designer.

What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

Mostly branding designs, to create a consistent set of visual identity for the client. Creating designs that reinforce the brand identity and yet at the same time, keeping them creative, can be a meaningful challenge to me.

We are now working on UI/UX projects, which is something that we really enjoy doing and we are keen to have more opportunities to explore this.

What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

Humble, willing to take in criticisms. Design is very subjective, and you must be willing to listen to different comments and continue to improve on every design you come up with. Communicate your ideas, do not be restricted to just your perspective, be more open-minded.

What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

A good designer designs things that people want and what is expected out of the project. A great designer finds new ways that solve people’s problems and bring value to them.

What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

Every design is good in their own unique ways. What makes a good design stand out more is when the design is able to solve people’s problems unknowingly and be remembered by people through their message, and not just being eye-catching.

What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

Good design contributes to good business. A good design helps to make the connection between design and business. If we can identify the problem and build an ecosystem in the business structure with problem-solving designs and enhance the user experience of consumers, the innovation and operations of the business will fall in place following the design and consumer trends.

What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

We are not restricting ourselves to any particular brand or company, we welcome all kinds of industries and are always ready to take on the challenge.

What is the dream project you haven't yet had time to realize?

Every project that exceeded the clients’ expectation is a dream project to us.

What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

Learning from mistakes and always be ready and keen to stay updated to the latest design trends. Most importantly, always be open-minded and take in criticism.

Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

We do not have a specific design master, we get our inspirations from our daily lives and also through the various designs in the design community. Each and every design is unique in their own ways.

What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

Designs that are sustainable and bring out the message and stories behind them without being too complicated.

What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

Designing of our own brand, etereo. The design is simple and yet complex to achieve, less is more.It’s definitely great because it represents us. We are proud of it and we use it across our communications.

How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

Not just upgrading of skills and knowledge. Gaining more experience is one of the most important things every designer should take seriously. Working on a huge variety and different kinds of projects help to increase the creative thinking of one’s.

If you hadn't become a designer, what would you have done?

I would have worked as a Business Management role, likely in a media-related company.

How do you define design, what is design for you?

Design is about sustainability and usability while making it aesthetically pleasing to the consumer’s eyes. It’s about fulfilling the needs of consumers and solving their problems via design.

Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

The Etereo’s family has always been my biggest supporter and provides me with opportunities to work on different projects to widen my horizons.

What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

The more common obstacles are Design block and countless rejections from clients. But they are also the motivations that motivate us to improve on our designs.

How do you think designers should present their work?

In their own ways that they feel most comfortable and confident in bringing out the message behind their designs. Designers know and understand their design the best, and we should not set restrictions on how they should present it.

What's your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

We are working on projects in very different industries now, such as a Fashion label and a Medical brand. We are excited and confident that we will be creating something very different that represents their brands, keep a lookout for them!

What's your ultimate goal as a designer?

To have our designs recognised globally.

What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

To be able to create extraordinary designs that exceed everyone's expectations, most importantly, the audience.

How does design help create a better society?

Design helps individual brands to create their own identities and owning this set of unique characteristics will help brands to take ownership and pride.

What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

We are currently working on local fashion and a label and a medical brand. These two projects are bold and the brand owners have very high expectations of us. This challenge makes us more eager to work with them.

Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

When designs come to life and we happen to see them in our everyday lives, give us a sense of affinity and pride.

What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

Design is taking a very important role in large and small brands, there is more attention on creating design that speaks about their brand. Design applications will be complex as different formats will be required.

Where do you think the design field is headed next?

Individualistic and visionary designs are what people will appreciate in future.

How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

It greatly depends on the scale of the project, it can last from four months to a year.

When you have a new design project, where do you start?

Getting to know our client, her industry, her target audience and her competitors, is how we get started!

What is your life motto as a designer?

There are no bad designers, only lazy designers.

Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

Trends do not affect designs and designs do not follow trends. They are not correlated in any ways.

What is the role of technology when you design?

It helps to translate the concept to clients with ease.

What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

Sketchbook is a must for all designs. Adobe Creative Suite, sometimes Wacom and of course, Photoshoot equipment.

What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

They are the hands and legs of a great design, The fundamental of a well- thought through design is the heart beat of a brand. And the rest of it, the color, the materials used, the ambient are the hands and legs, they bring the design alive!

What do you wish people to ask about your design?

Can you create a design for our brand? Yes,why not?

When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

The story and meaning behind the design, what is the rationale and reason that the design was being created.

Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

My team, we are small but we are strong in our different ways and that makes us help and fight with each other to create new ideas. Yes, co-design definitely works!

Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

My team. We discuss and brainstorm ideas together for new concepts and direction for every project.

Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

Rather than books, we follow different design magazines and websites to stay updated and aware of the global trends and happenings in the design world.

How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

Consistent learning and upgrading, never give up! Take every obstacle as a challenge.

How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

I believe Award is a huge achievement for every designer in the world. Apart from motivation, having your work recognised is a bigger achievement and this will not come easy, it requires patience, perseverance and years of hard work.

What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

Black, it stands out on its own and matches well with almost all colours. My favourite place will be any cafe that allows me to have some me-time. Autumn will always be my favourite season, a bonus when there are autumn leaves!

Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

When we were working on an urgent project of website design, the whole team (yes, even the bosses) stayed over in the office to complete it. We had mental breakdowns, we laughed and we took turns to nap. It was a challenging 3 days but the laughter and bond that we shared in the 3 days will always stay in my heart.

What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

A cup of good coffee always works. Whenever I am having a design block or demoralised, I will always get myself a cup of good coffee to cheer myself up. And I will start on my work again, nothing is impossible, you just have to keep trying to get things right.

When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

No, drawing and sketching have always calmed me down since young, but I did not expect myself to pursue design as my career.

What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

Designs will get more innovative and people will understand the value and appreciate design more. They will start to see the importance of design in every business and it's not just limited to the visual aspect, but also the effect it has on the daily operations of a business.

Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

I hope that people will understand etereo’s belief in all designs. Not just pleasing aesthetic, we believe in sustainable designs and are always ready to take on challenges to create design beyond imaginations.

Designer Interview

38 questions

I have been with Etereo for 5 years and I started out as a Marketing Executive. Etereo gave me the opportunity to grow and lead projects, right from conceptualisation to execution.

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

I have been with Etereo for 5 years and I started out as a Marketing Executive. Etereo gave me the opportunity to grow and lead projects, right from conceptualisation to execution. As a business student for 6 years, I always find joy and passion in creative media and arts instead of business theories. I love to draw and found myself spending more and more time on design art software, creating designs during my free time. And that was the time, I know that Design will be the right choice for me to pursue in my career.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

We are a creative agency based in Singapore that creates thoughtful designs that are expressive and bold. We curate visionary identities across multiple touchpoints as we strongly believe in consistency. We are a dynamic team that is never satisfied with just the norm. We take pride in every design and we love to uncover potentials and new possibilities with the brands that we work with.

What is "design" for you?

Design gives context to everything, it is an art that is sustainably meaningful.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

Brand assets such as logo, colour, typography, packaging design and of course websites.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

We do not have a favourite design and we find that every design is unique in her own ways. But we do take extra note and appreciation on designs that are sustainable and bring out the message and stories behind them without being too complicated.

What was the first thing you designed for a company?

Logo and it was for an optical brand.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

Behance and Dribble! It showcases the different designs designers around the world have! It is heartwarming to see designers who are proud of their work and presenting them to the larger community!

When do you feel the most creative?

When a new project starts!

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

The functional aspect will be the main focus after the initial idea is born. A design can be the most unique and beautiful outline. However, if it is not practical and fails to be implemented, we will consider it as just an idea that is not conceptualised.

What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

Excited. Excited to explore and create the design that will bring out the personality behind it and how the design will fit into the business model of the client.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

A great sense of achievement and feeling light! It’s relaxing and you know for sure, you will have a good sleep that night.

What makes a design successful?

The elements come together, complementing each other and this makes a successful design.

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

The intention of the design, if the design meets the intended purpose then it is a good design.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

Do not copy and do not be stingy in giving praises. Have a sense of ownership and pride in creating your own design. It’s fine to complement a great design and is definitely a great motivation for fellow designers.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

Design will take on more adaption as we can see content is demanded at an alarming speed. Designs need to be adaptable without losing consistency.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

We have never held one and there are no plans for this.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

From things we see, we touch and we experience every day. We will pay attention to great designs, be it a sign, a plant or an online post. They have their ways to inspire us.

How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

Versatile. There is no fixed style in etereo! We believe in creating unique sustainable designs for each project based on the project scope. We make it a point to always communicate with the client to better understand their needs and the problems they faced throughout the project. We make sure that our designs solve their problems, not just being aesthetically pleasing!

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

We live in Singapore and working in a metropolitan country, we are exposed to a rich variety of culture. Local companies are paying more attention to their brand identities but they are pretty reluctant to have a total change in their concept. To overcome this challenge, we have to prepare our clients of the intended change and the effects after the change to ensure a smooth transition.

How do you work with companies?

We will work very closely together with our clients as they know their industries and processes better than us. This is also how we can get constant feedback from our clients during the process. This working relationship also helps our clients to know us better and the thought process behind the design.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

Attitude! A good attitude towards creating a good design is critical. You can have the passion but without perseverance, passion will not lead you to the end result. A never give up attitude is the one that gives birth to great designs!

Can you talk a little about your design process?

Research first, to do research on the project direction, the design concept and also the solutions for each project. With the concept and direction finalised, Sketching is the foundation of all design work. After finalising the sketches, we will then use design software to enhance it and improve it along the way with discussions with clients.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

Dining chair,sofa, kitchenware, coffee table and lights.

Can you describe a day in your life?

Other than Designing, having ample me-time is extremely important! Self-care is very important to one's mental health, and you can’t have enough creativity juice flowing without enough rest!

Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

Be humble and learn from doing, not afraid to take hardships and run away reality. You only learn if you start doing and not by thinking. Next, be sincere to take in feedback and ask for opinions, digest and learn from them. Sincere in admitting mistakes and grow from there.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

We get to do the things that we love as a career, which makes work and life enjoyable. The only bad thing is inspirations sometimes come at unpredicted time and it gets challenging while working on an urgent project. There are no rules and formulas to follow for design work.

What is your "golden rule" in design?

You never try, you’ll never know!

What skills are most important for a designer?

Communication and Creativity. A designer must be able to communicate his/her design to the target audience.

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

Sketchbook is a must for all designs. Adobe Creative Suite, sometimes Wacom and of course, Photoshoot equipment.

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

I have a scheduler in place to prioritize and organise all design taskings. Time management is a very important skill for all designers. I will always make it a point to allocate at least 3 hours of me-time daily for yourself.

What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

“What if we do not like your end design?”

What was your most important job experience?

Human interaction is the most important, the ability to understand where the client is thinking and expectation takes skills and time to discover.

Who are some of your clients?

Our clientele covers a wide range of industries. From Universities, Fashion brands, Bakeries, Restaurants, Florists, Engineering companies, Manufacturing brands.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

Packaging design, it just completes the whole design process.

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

Continue giving great designs for sure!

Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

Team. We always brainstorm our ideas for a project and discuss the enhancements of a design together. Different people see designs differently, opening yourself to different perspectives allow you to look at your design from different angles! Sometimes the best design idea comes from our discussion!

Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

We are currently working on a local fashion and a medical brand. There’re a lot of opportunities for these two projects and the brand owners have high expectations of us. This challenge makes us more eager to work with them.

How can people contact you?

You may visit our website at www.etereomedia.com !

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The design interview data shown in our design interview page with Etereo regarding Adore Repackaging Sanitary Pads comes from the Design Interviews platform, where leading designers, architects and brands are interviewed regarding their award-winning designs, products and projects.