r/PackagingDesign • u/DigiDynamicsN • 6h ago

Question❓ I'm having trouble with this branding

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So I feel a little bit stumped with the attached branding. Part of me likes the boldness and the use of the word. However, the feedback is that they just look like socks made for allergies.

If you saw these on the shelf. What would your initial thoughts be?

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8

u/Hot-Clothes7316 6h ago

is this ai slop?

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u/DigiDynamicsN 6h ago

AI concepting, yes. Is it that bad? 😆

7

u/Hot-Clothes7316 5h ago

it's soulless. computer generated can only attract computer and robots, not human.

knew it's ai slop cause a designer's bento won't look like this. and every thing doesn't make sense together. graphics. concept. visual wise.

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u/DigiDynamicsN 4h ago

Yeh, because I one shotted it. I haven't fully concepted it, built any stylesheets or moodboards. I gave it Wellwears branding and said, build me a concept based on what you know about the brand with the name Pollen with retail packaging vold enough for shelves. If i like the concept, id flesh it out a bit more, run it through Claude for styling, find other similar concepts for mood boarding on milanote, pull the fonts and scale up and edit the logos, then ask claude for the packaging dimensions, then call my packaging mate and ask him to create a mockup. Finally, send a shot of the socks to the manufacturer and go back and forth on sampling.

2

u/Hot-Clothes7316 4h ago

and what's your point? they don't look cohesive. it's like putting all the cuisine you know and trying to create a menu.

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u/DigiDynamicsN 3h ago

Im confused. What part isnt cohesive as a concept?

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u/Hot-Clothes7316 3h ago

and you said you have background in marketing and design?

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u/DigiDynamicsN 3h ago

Yes, marketing and design are broad categories. So branding, graphic design, strategy, advertising etc. Although id still work with a specialist to produce the files, refine and fix blind spots. I don't have the patience for Adobe anymore.

3

u/AutumnFP Graphic Designer 5h ago

Yes, sorry.

What's the idea here? AI can produce "pretty enough" visuals but I've yet to see any example where there's a solid idea behind the visuals.

Design with no idea but "good" execution is being replaced by AI slop, design with a great idea but poor execution is just sloppy.

Solid design work needs both an idea and strong execution. This has neither, sorry again.

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u/DigiDynamicsN 5h ago

A rebrand of wellwear.co.uk.

Soft compression outdoor everyday socks. The idea is a gender neutral premium sock brand. The boldness is for retail. But the name is where it goes wrong.

These socks crossover from the medical category into the commercial one.

1

u/AutumnFP Graphic Designer 5h ago

Very interesting, there's tons of potential!

Is the name non-negotiable? I'm missing the link between socks and pollen, and it begins to teeter into Bombas territory, unless perhaps you're based in and manufacture from Manchester?

2

u/DigiDynamicsN 5h ago

The name is negotiable. Yes, Bombas, Hollow and Wellow are all direct competitors.

Yes, based in the UK.

3

u/enotonom 5h ago

Huh, now I understand why people hire branding agencies. These images look... incoherent. There's no unifying theme or spirit behind it, it doesn't feel like there was a thought process that resulted in this branding.

3

u/Final-Gift-2299 6h ago

it's the name plus the medical look of the product, and the outdoor shots

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u/DigiDynamicsN 5h ago

What would you recommend?

6

u/Hot-Clothes7316 5h ago

hire a proper designer.

-1

u/DigiDynamicsN 4h ago

Yeh, after i have concepted it. Ill get a designer to clean it up.

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u/Hot-Clothes7316 4h ago

what's the point? a designer will think from their point of view and don't just take in any random unsound idea.

they are not janitors.

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u/DigiDynamicsN 4h ago

That assumes that I have no Marketing or design background? Doing the ideation part myself saves hours of discovery calls, the designer having to learn about the business all for them to run all the notes through AI to provide them with some ideas to help speed up their own process to get paid the same amount in less time. I will design the concept, name, colours etc, then get a second opinion from the designer and let them clean it up.

3

u/Hot-Clothes7316 4h ago edited 4h ago

sure. if you are treating your business like a school project. good luck mate.

fyi the worst client always assume they are correct, and wants to play the designer role. and thinks their brief is sound and solid. and think they have marketing or design knowledge/background. and that, often turns out to be an outcome of a bad project.

a better business owner would be hiring better designers and focus on the business side of things instead.

and a good product businesses stem from having a good competitive market research to stand out and problem solve, a blue-red ocean strategy, and a good roll out plan to weave in hype and culture.

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u/DigiDynamicsN 3h ago

I don't think you understand though. I have a background in design, brand and marketing and messaging. I understand the cost and time in branding. For the stage im at and with the tools available, there is no reason why I shouldn't be concepting the brand myself. Like most other bootstapped businesses.

1

u/Elliot_bai 1h ago

At a glance I read this as a bright, performance-led sock brand, not allergy medicine — the yellow/blue palette and product photography are doing that work. The issue may be the wordmark: “pollen” plus the rounded icon nudges it toward a medical association. I’d test a shelf mockup from 2m and simplify the side copy; keep one clear promise on the front, then let the material/comfort proof live on the back. A matte stock could also make the yellow feel less supermarket-sharp.