IGLOOZ
Location: Hong Kong
Dates: 1 Oct 2016 - 14 Oct 2018
Role: Junior product designer & design coordinator
Team: Research & Development
Company website: http://www.igloozdesign.com/
Launched over 20 products, handle over 2 lines and 10 projects
Desktop Lighting (Awarded by Hong Kong Smart Design Award 2018)
Memo pad (Awarded by Hong Kong Smart Design Award 2018)
Bun Festival Pin Set (Awarded by Hong Kong Smart Design Award 2018)
Sharpener
12 inches Lamp
Book Stand
Egg Puff Magnet
Dates: 1 Oct 2016 - 14 Oct 2018
Role: Junior product designer & design coordinator
Team: Research & Development
Company website: http://www.igloozdesign.com/
Launched over 20 products, handle over 2 lines and 10 projects
Why IGLOOZ
iGLOOZ is a subsidiary company of Chapmei started in 2014, the toy factory's desire is to transform and develop different types of products that increase the company's value. The company is containing the OOlz and Arctic series that design and create homeware that draws on the traditions of indigenous cultures from the arctic to the equator. The name comes from the Arctic people’s traditional homes, fashioned with careful craftsmanship, functionality, and a small ecological footprint. The products offer timeless style with a hint of whimsy, suitable for any room of the home. Using the finest materials and cutting-edge design, the homewares are meant to delight for decades home decor captures the simple pleasures and good humor of a family sheltered together.
The OOlz and Arctic series are applying illustrations to different products produced by carbon steel. Based on these designs, I hoped to establish new directions that can enhance the company's value. It also was a good opportunity to show creativity, and innovation in design, to bring simplicity, and delight to our customers. I believed it was an excellent experience to grow with the company.
The OOlz and Arctic series are applying illustrations to different products produced by carbon steel. Based on these designs, I hoped to establish new directions that can enhance the company's value. It also was a good opportunity to show creativity, and innovation in design, to bring simplicity, and delight to our customers. I believed it was an excellent experience to grow with the company.
My Role
Considering the innovation of transforming the toy company, not only balanced the cost and value side of the business model but also reposition the brand on the market. To create innovative products and raise the value proposition to fulfill the customer segment and expand the business channel.
We proposed to develop a brand new INsight series that used the Hong Kong theme for storytelling, engaging customers, and promoting the brand. In order to design the product to show the details and the story connection, we applied different elements such as buildings, festivals, culture, and urban mundane objects.
Acted as a designer and coordinator in a team of designers to develop and implement the houseware, premium design, layout, packaging, and production communication materials. In addition, I guided the teams during the presentations and all design directions. We also cooperated with the marketing and engineering teams, to discuss the production cost and the promotion strategies and we built up a strong team to develop and expand the company's philosophy together.
I designed 2 lines of 10 houseware and stationery products as below that were sold and promoted to different B2B clients such as G.O.D, Tiny, Log-on, Homeless, YMCA, and HKTDC Design Gallery. Our efforts helped the company raise 15% income in a year.
Moreover, I was recommended by my company to promote products in the international market by attending the Giftex show exhibition in Tokyo Big Sight in 2017 and awarded Hong Kong Smart Design Award in 2018.
We proposed to develop a brand new INsight series that used the Hong Kong theme for storytelling, engaging customers, and promoting the brand. In order to design the product to show the details and the story connection, we applied different elements such as buildings, festivals, culture, and urban mundane objects.
Acted as a designer and coordinator in a team of designers to develop and implement the houseware, premium design, layout, packaging, and production communication materials. In addition, I guided the teams during the presentations and all design directions. We also cooperated with the marketing and engineering teams, to discuss the production cost and the promotion strategies and we built up a strong team to develop and expand the company's philosophy together.
I designed 2 lines of 10 houseware and stationery products as below that were sold and promoted to different B2B clients such as G.O.D, Tiny, Log-on, Homeless, YMCA, and HKTDC Design Gallery. Our efforts helped the company raise 15% income in a year.
Moreover, I was recommended by my company to promote products in the international market by attending the Giftex show exhibition in Tokyo Big Sight in 2017 and awarded Hong Kong Smart Design Award in 2018.
The Learnings
By working at iGLOOZ and on those projects I learned so many things, the main ones were:
For external, I understood the importance of innovative products and raising the value proposition to fulfill the customer segment and expand the business channel. Examples as below:
Repositioned the brand identity and created the new product language by studying and researching the target market and our potential customers from different perspectives.
Conducted design research and developed product storytelling based on societal and cultural trends (Hong Kong theme) to pitch to other businesses and customers that shared a similar philosophy.
For internal, we reduced the production cost which can be effective to make a positive income. For example:
For the OOlz and Arctic series, we used similar production methods by utilizing the materials from the toy factory via injection molding, powder coating, carbon steel bending, and CNC on the wood parts to make different combinations and to expand new products.
We shared the minimum order quantity (MOQ) among the products that were not manufactured by the company's factory by outsourcing the common components of each product. That makes me know how to decrease the cost by sharing the MOQ and stock unit (SKU).
Finally, I am so honored to work with a group of designers that shared the same dream and design philosophy. It was a very great experience of putting design skills and business strategy into practice. It was definitely beyond my expectation as I never imagined the achievement of the product line would turn a company's loss into a profit (raise 15% income during a year), but also promoted the brand successfully and found more potential B2B customers.
For external, I understood the importance of innovative products and raising the value proposition to fulfill the customer segment and expand the business channel. Examples as below:
For internal, we reduced the production cost which can be effective to make a positive income. For example:
Finally, I am so honored to work with a group of designers that shared the same dream and design philosophy. It was a very great experience of putting design skills and business strategy into practice. It was definitely beyond my expectation as I never imagined the achievement of the product line would turn a company's loss into a profit (raise 15% income during a year), but also promoted the brand successfully and found more potential B2B customers.