Creation of a concept for SESC’s Bertioga chapter.
Development of a visual communication system, to be applied on products related to the environment.
Brand to be applied on packaging, stationery, cups, aprons, rackets, canvas backs, natural fibre T-shirts and other items.
SESC –the Brazilian Retailers’ Welfare Association– provides a range of educational, health, leisure, cultural and welfare resources at affordable prices to retail, services and tourism industry workers, as well as to the population at large. With a history spanning nearly eight decades, SESC is now present in all state capitals as well as in small and medium-sized cities in Brazil. It is a world reference as a social welfare organisation.
LabMattar was initially approached to apply the SESC brand to a placemat set, a cap and a pen, all of which would be sold at the SESCs Bertioga chapter. As Bertioga is a summer coastline destination, a lighter, beachier touch was suggested to avoid making it look too blandly institutional. While examining SESC’s potential, the observation was made that not a single one of its convenience products had a logo which conveyed the brand as a concept. Thus, LabMattar suggested a product line associated with the public’s experience of the SESC brand. As a first step, 29 products based on a particular concept were offered. The studio then created a convenience store and followed this by developing a total of 135 products which are still sold there today. This was made possible by exploring the potential inherent in SESC’s identity and the values it already fostered. An analysis of the features interfacing the brand and the public revealed that the concepts already forming the work done by SESC were related to the environment and environmental awareness, as the chapter regularly held lectures and workshops with biologists and ornithologists, gardening courses, inventories of native plants, &c.
The concept created by LabMattar considered the actions which SESC Bertioga took on behalf of environmental awareness. The illustrations and graphic work sought to highlight the interdependence between human beings and other forms of life. Three images were created that poetically depict the role of us humans as regards the world in which we live. The images are: the plant man, the fish man and the bird man.
In addition to the graphics on the pieces, these also featured poetic texts that clarified the concepts used. The texts address a shift in Man’s view of himself that brings him closer to others. At first, we see only a human figure interacting with nature. As we get closer, we can see that the human figure is made up of those of many other beings, which give shape and meaning to Man.
The project became very popular and these days SESC is emulating the “concept-product” model in several other chapters. It was originally just going to be an unassuming application of the brand to a few pieces, and it blossomed into a complete visual identity project and product line creation hinging and supported by a some strong conceptualisation work.
The work as a whole was awarded the Miscellaneous prize at the 7th Graphic Design Biennial.