Astra Make-up Company Re-branding by Paul Robb

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

PR : We needed to change the brand perceptions of Astra. I also wanted to challenge how a makeup brand was communicated, creating an emotional relationship within the brand experience. Most makeup companies use large closeups of the models face, I wanted to stay away from this creating the experience of makeup and fashion.

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

PR : As I said we wanted to challenge the stereotypical image of a beauty brand, creating a lifestyle attachment to the communications.

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

PR : We are continually developing this brand and I would say that this years focus for the studio is to increase it's emotional impact with a new consumer advertising campaign.

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

PR : With initial client briefing, around 3 months, with around 5 months development and application.

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

PR : it was a chance meeting with the CEO and a shared vision in what the brand could become.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

PR : This was our first large beauty rebranding, so the answer to that is, the challenge.

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

PR : I believe design comes from within and we design from personal experiences.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

PR : Consumers.

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

PR : The design execution and art direction of the imagery set this apart as we used the concept that makeup is fashion. When we analyse the market everyone was very simular to the MAC experience and we wanted to stay away from that black professional look, attaining a fashionable colourful feel.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

PR : We designed a custom typeface for the brand and introduced fashion styling.

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

PR : We travelled in Europe looking at other bands in the market analysing the positioning and communications.

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

PR : Probably the scale and speed of the rebranding as the clients sells around 12,000,000 pieces a year. The company had to basically become two units, one to supply the existing material with the other half organising the new look packs and communications.

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

PR : Difficult question... To be judged by your piers is the best indiction if the design is of merit.

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

PR : Because we work as a small team, it has to be listening and respecting ideas.