HELMZ

“What we did in art direction for the sports bicycle brand ‘HELMZ’ was not mere graphic designing. We proactively proposed various new ideas and realized them into actual items. For instance, we designed shipping boxes for their bicycle parts showing an illustration of the part so that customers can readily know what is inside. As far as sports bicycles are concerned, customers can select either to purchase the whole body of a bicycle or to purchase parts separately. Normally, the parts are packaged individually in a shipping box, and the store staff take one of each kind of part out of the box to display as a sample. The products used as samples are then usually sold at lower prices. In view of these circumstances, we conceived the idea of designing boxes that are functional for both shipping and the item’s point-of-purchase advertising. This novel type of box allows customers to clearly visualize the product inside, and the graphic on the box also serves as advertisement to represent the philosophy of the brand. Further, shops do not have to be concerned about wasting their merchandise and only need to order as much stock as necessary. Moreover, the products’ distribution became more efficient, consequently benefitting those in the distribution line. Our idea garnered immense praise and won the grand award, namely METI Minister’s Prize, at the Japan Promotional Marketing Institute Exhibition in 2012.”