Ex Sunscreen
This is a full conceptualization, brand development, and marketing rollout for a new sunscreen product named ‘ex’. The scope of this project included the brand ecosystem, product design, package design, and advertisements for both social media and print. I set out to create an elevated product with a play on the idea of an ex-relationship representing the sun’s rays (to relate to my target audience) leaning into the idea of blocking out the sun’s rays with the product slogan “dump the sunburn, ex the rays”. This project won an American Graphic Design Award from the 60th annual GDUSA showcase.
Project type: Brand Development and Ad Campaign
Roles: Designer, Editor, Art Director, Developer
Programs: Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma
Audience: 18-30 (women)
Timeline: 2 months
The Process
The primary problem was creating a brand that would grab the attention of my target audience while still instilling my core design principles and personal aesthetic. I gravitate towards neutrals, minimalism, and negative space. Through trial and error, I found myself straying away from the initial bright colors and playful type. While these drafts had some good elements, I still found a solution to keep it fun and hit the mark without being so colorful and bold. I instilled a lot of photography that emphasized the vibe of the brand. The visuals that should be evoked when the target audience interacts and thinks of this product are clean, neutral, beach, sun, summer etc.
The first draft was a playful iteration called x-ray, but through feedback I came to realize its connection to the medical procedure of an x-ray was too strong. Additionally, I liked the colors but felt they didn’t correlate with the minimal and clean vision I had. The second draft was called oasis, which emphasized fun, bright colors and a strong surfing tone. However this was extremely bright and didn’t feel like the right identity for a credible, quality sunscreen product.
