The Brief: PureGear Before

PureGear already had an existing comprehensive mobile accessory line when we began work with them. As the product line owned and operated by Superior Communications, a leading manufacturer of accessories for prominent carriers and retailers, they already had a built-in reputation within the industry. However, PureGear was yet to be fully established as a brand of its own and was still unknown to the end consumer.

Strategy: Product Lifestyle Boards

Our work began with a detailed analysis and strategy phase that included visualization of consumer profiles. Each lifestyle segment was expressed visually through style boards that included lifestyle, color palette, photography, and design inspiration to help PureGear with product development and serve as a benchmark for future marketing efforts.

Identity: Logo Exploration

PureGear’s identity had to be broad enough to encapsulate the broad current and future product offerings and communicate that it was a mobile company. The explorations included proprietary letterforms and marks with abstract themes including innovation, growth, communication, and expansion. All the solutions had to work with and without a mark and have the ability to be imprinted or debossed onto a variety of mobile devices with tiny surface areas.

Identity: Final Logo

Our final solution for the PureGear logo was a modern, iconic word mark with clever visual repetition. The custom, continuous letterforms with repeating shapes were a metaphor for the never ending flow of product innovation. The central dot element represented the mobile device; the surrounding “eg” letterforms represented the protective accessories. The “eg” mark was also designed to be a stand alone icon to be used in conjuction with other supporting brand elements.

Identity: Stationery System

Our solution for the PureGear stationery system was an extension of the “eg” pattern emerging from the logo mark to further symbolize the abstract themes of communication and expansion established in the core identity. The printing was enhanced by a blind emboss technique on the pattern to create a tactile experience for the recipient.

Packaging: DualTek™ Structural Packaging

For one of their signature products, PureGear wanted a unique, custom package design that would stand out in the crowded marketplace. The DualTek™ mobile phone band product was built to withstand extreme shock with special technology in the corners to absorb shock. Our designs emphasized this unique product feature cleverly by focusing on the corners in a range of stuctural options from traditional cardboard and blister packs to innovative eco-friendly solutions.

Packaging: DualTek™ Packaging Exploration

The DualTek™ packaging designs had to balance the science of the product properties with the lifestyle brand approach of PureGear. Our explorations included references to engineering drawings, airport graphics, and nature and focused on the corners of the product to reinforce the functional benefits.

Packaging: DualTek™ Packaging Design

The final DualTek™ packaging was a dynamic blister/cardboard combination structure with the product bursting out of the confines of the card to communicate the shock absorption of the corners. Dotted engineering graphics of the product in the background simulated the product falling in space; supporting icons added a scientific and technical feel and communicated product attributes quickly.

Winner, American Graphic Design Awards, 2011

Packaging: Core Line Packaging Exploration

The next step to rebranding PureGear was to undertake their comprehensive core line of mobile accessories including cases, chargers, and cables. PureGear wanted to utilize existing primary structural packaging to keep the logistics of the rebrand streamlined; to meet this parameter, many of our explorations included clever solutions for incorporating the existing structure while remaining fresh and new with our overall approach. A strong lifestyle-centric element was used in all the concept directions to support PureGear’s benefits and create an optimistic and inspired brand that would quickly connect to its market.

Packaging: Core Line Packaging Design

Since PureGear’s point of difference was designing simple and straightforward accessories that were often multi-use and affordable, a clean, fresh, modern approach was taken in the packaging to communicate product benefits. Intersecting diagonal shapes consisting of a branded pattern created an advanced, detailed, and innovative feel. Abstract supporting photographic images delineated each product collection, while friendly “work,” “life,” and “play” icons quickly highlighted the brand’s lifestyle approach to product design.

Winner, American Graphic Design Awards, 2011

Packaging: PureBeats Packaging Exploration

Our concept exploration for PureGear’s PureBeats premium headset was centered around the visualization of music. Sound wavelengths, equalizers, and speaker influences were utilized to communicated the high sound quality and deep bass tones of the product.

Packaging: PureBeats Packaging Design

The final solution for the PureBeats packaging utilized the overall clean, fresh approach of the core packaging, with subtle references to music differentiating this sub brand. The product was photographed with the cables styled to imitate a sound wavelength; stylized, growing typography communicated sound amplification. A unique logo and icon mark were created for the PureBeats name for a distinct, ownable look.

Winner, American Graphic Design Awards, 2011

Printed Collateral: Product Sell Sheets

PureGear needed sell sheets that would highlight both the product benefits and lifestyle brand elements, and would work in both print and electronic formats. Our solution was a clean, organized format with bold product photography, warm lifestyle photography, and clear typography highlighting the features.

Printed Collateral: Press Kit

As a new brand, PureGear needed to make an impact with buyers, editors, and key customers. Our solution was a combination sales/press kit folder with a unique envelope-style fold, a slot for business cards, and a pouch for customizable contents.

Winner, American Graphic Design Awards, 2011

Digital Media: Digital Brand Strategy

Before any work on the social networking began, a comprehensive strategy was developed to identify how to best reach and connect with PureGear’s target audiences online. A thorough audit was conducted to identify opportunities on key social networking portals, explore current digital trends, and find well-known industry bloggers for future digital public relations. Unique branded content ideas were also presented as a foundation for implementing the brand message socially.

Digital Media: Social Networking

Custom social networking pages including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were critical in educating the consumer about this relatively new brand and products. The social networking strategy centered around the PureGear company blog, which served as a hub to all the social media pages to connect with the audience and deliver customized content, news, and product specials.

Digital Media: Website

The new PureGear site design had to easily accommodate their existing sophisticated e-commerce system and work well across all browsers – including mobile. Our redesign featured a home page combining large marquee images of lifestyle, product images, and messaging in a dynamic carousel animation effect. A unique navigation bar organized the pages into four simple categories for ease of use. The grid design format allowed for collaging different types of imagery smoothly, creating a seamless transition between product and lifestyle. Soft color gradations and playful supporting graphics softened the overall look and made the site feel approachable and friendly.

Winner, American Graphic Design Awards, 2011

Photography: Product

For the launch of their new Slim Shells for iPhone 4S, PureGear wanted to showcase all the product colors inspired by French macaroons in one hero image. Our solution was an artfully styled product shot that featured the bright and bold colors in a playful manner. Stylized lighting enhanced the glossy texture of the products; imagery on the phone screen brought the flavor concept to life.

Video: Innovation Montage

PureGear needed a short, eye-catching video to introduce their new signature lineup at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Our solution was a fast-paced montage with a combination of still imagery, graphics, lifestyle video, and moving product photography. This video was used to drive interest and traffic to PureGear’s booth and also played on a flat screen in the trade show booth.

Video: DualTek

For this extreme shock protection smart phone case, it was critical to demonstrate the effectiveness of the product while staying true to PureGear’s lifestyle brand. To balance these ideas, we mixed informative graphics, scientific demonstrations, and real life drop scenarios in this product infomercial. Slow motion photography techniques were utilized to bring credibility to the drops and create visual interest throughout the video.

Video: Smartphone Support System

As the most versatile of all the PureGear mobile accessories products, the Smartphone Support System was their top selling product as it appealed to the widest range of customers. To demonstrate the wide range of product functionality in this video, a broad range of characters were shown utilizing the product in everyday lifestyle scenarios.

Video: PX360º

The PX360º Extreme Protection System was an innovative new mobile accessory product that targeted the outdoor adventurer market. To effectively demonstrate features and bring the product to life, a mix of studio and real outdoor locations were utilized to best connect to the audience’s lifestyle.

Space: Trade Show Booth Concepts

To translate the new PureGear brand to a trade show booth design, two distinct approaches were taken to bring the brand to life. The first was a simple, clean, and modern approach; the second utilized eco-friendly resin panels of varying depth and composition to create a softer environment that mirrored the layers in the packaging.

Space: Trade Show Booth

The final solution was an ultra clean and modern approach that combined lifestyle and abstract photography with unique product display shelves seamlessly. Contemporary yet inviting furnishings and “real” grass carpet were the finishing touches to the overall modern yet approachable design. A flat screen tv played a looping track of branded PureGear product videos.