RESEARCH

Nurturance and Humor

The concept behind Puss Zen Bamboots draws on the nurturing qualities that pet owners seek in products designed for their companions, Felton (2013). The emphasis is that effective advertising often taps into emotional connections, fostering a sense of care and affection toward the product. For Puss Zen Bamboots, this nurturing appeal is embodied in the choice of sustainable materials like bamboo, symbolizing a commitment to both the pet’s well-being and the environment. Additionally, the brand incorporates playful elements with its Buddha and Ninja cat themes, introducing a layer of humor that enhances its appeal. The image of a “Zen” Buddha cat resonates with owners who seek calm and tranquility for their pets, while the “Ninja” cat adds a touch of whimsy, suggesting agility and fun. This blend of humor and nurturance aligns with Felton’s view that a strong brand concept can create an emotional bond with the audience, making the product not only a practical choice but also an endearing one.

Design Principles

Foundational design principles, such as color theory and visual hierarchy, were also referenced to create a design aesthetic that aligns with the brand’s values. Research by Elliot and Maier (2023) on color psychology influenced color selections for the brand’s visual identity, focusing on shades associated with calmness and nature, including, golden yellows, bamboo greens, and similar earth tones, to convey Zen and sustainability. Additionally, the work by Lidwell et al. (2023) on universal design principles informed choices in layout and typography to enhance usability and appeal throughout. One source of inspiration was also drawn from Margo Chase’s work, specifically her focus on logos and lettering, which demonstrate how thoughtful design choices can reinforce brand identity and impact visual appeal and identity (Chase, 2008). This insight supported the development of a clean, minimalistic logo for Puss Zen Bamboots that reflects the brand’s commitment to simplicity and elegance.

Why Bamboo?

The bamboo plant holds deep symbolic meaning in Zen Buddhism, often representing values such as simplicity, purity, resilience, and adaptability. In Zen gardens, bamboo is carefully incorporated to promote tranquility and harmony between nature and human presence, embodying qualities like humility and the balance of strength with flexibility. This is seen in its ability to bend without breaking, symbolizing a balanced and resilient approach to life, which aligns with the Zen pursuit of peace and inner strength. Bamboo’s hollow structure is particularly meaningful in Zen, symbolizing openness and the importance of emptying the mind of distractions to achieve spiritual clarity. Along with its vertical growth and minimalistic aesthetic, bamboo serves as an ideal metaphor for personal growth, simplicity, and connection with nature in Zen practices (ShunCy, 2023).

Research-Driven Design: An Analysis

Effective design is a multifaceted process, the process evolves from an initial concept to a refined final product. Within the Master of Fine Arts in Multimedia program at Full Sail University, this intricate process has been deeply explored through study and practice, providing a foundation for rigorous, research-driven design approaches. This narrative focuses on the thesis project, Puss Zen Bamboots, a sustainable cat toy company based in Madison, Wisconsin. The design concept is built on Zen principles, sustainability, and eco-conscious materials, primarily bamboo and similar natural materials.

To succeed, the brand must relate to environmentally aware consumers and their feline companions. By using a Research-Driven Design methodology analysis, the brand can recognize and use targeted research that shapes each choice of design element, ensuring that decisions are intentional, target audience-focused, and align with current industry standards in the pet industry while being environmentally influential.

Color Palette

Based on color psychology, specific tones such as greens and earthy browns were chosen to evoke nature and tranquility, elements associated with the brand's Zen philosophy (Elliot & Maier, 2023). These colors were strategically selected not just for their aesthetic appeal but for their ability to create an emotional response aligned with the target audience's values.

Competitor Analysis

Insights from industry reports and competitor analysis further refined the project's direction. For example, data from Grand View Research (2023) on pet industry trends indicate that consumers are increasingly drawn to companies that incorporate eco-friendly practices into their business models. By studying brands that already integrate sustainability, Puss Zen Bamboots may position itself distinctly within the niche of sustainable pet products, leveraging bamboo's natural appeal and Zen-associated tranquility as differentiators.

Connecting and Synthesizing Research

Integrating insights from audience research and competitor analysis provided a basis for creating a unique approach to the project's visual and brand identity.

Integrating Audience & Competitor Insights

Combining the pet humanization trend with a focus on sustainable products, it became clear that Puss Zen Bamboots should prioritize aesthetics and functionality in its branding. The appeal of a "Zen" theme was particularly potent, as it directly aligned with the calming and natural qualities sought by eco-conscious consumers. The brand's visuals were designed to reflect simplicity and minimalism, this research suggests that clients prefer products that represent a calm, nurturing, simple lifestyle (Gaimster, 2022; Greene, 2013).

Supporting Evidence

Research in e-commerce design supports the idea that minimalist layouts and color schemes can increase engagement and clarity for the viewer (Deng & Poole, 2021). This approach, rooted in research-backed methods, allowed the project to deliver a user experience that would likely resonate with the target demographic, it is additionally supported by Nielsen Norman Group's studies on online readability and user behavior that also conveys that a simple approach is easier for consumers to perceive a brand (Moran, 2024).

Translating Research into Design Decisions

The synthesis of research findings was instrumental in shaping the design decisions for Puss Zen Bamboots, ensuring the visual presentation aligned seamlessly with the brand’s values, objectives, and target audience. By analyzing audience preferences and market trends, the research revealed the importance of sustainability, minimalism, and playfulness in appealing to eco-conscious cat owners. These insights directly influenced the selection of materials, color palettes, and typography, emphasizing natural tones and organic forms that resonate with the brand’s ethos of sustainability, Zen, nature, and harmony.

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Typography

Typography choices were influenced by principles aimed at maximizing readability and reinforcing the brand's calm aesthetic. Simple, clean fonts were selected to enhance clarity, inspired by studies on typographic readability and audience preferences (Hanington & Martin, 2022). Decorative Bamboo-style fonts were channeled for the use of the main logo, with the Zen Enso & Stacked Cat Stone Buddha for Zen visual references in the logo. These decisions have ensured that the brand's message remained accessible while still aligning with the overall Zen aesthetic.

Layout and Visual Hierarchy

Guided by Zen principles, the layout emphasizes simplicity, balance, and a sense of calm. Research findings suggested that a multi-column layout with a clear visual hierarchy would enhance readability and engagement by creating a natural flow for the viewer’s eye (Deng & Poole, 2021). This approach minimizes cognitive load, allowing users to engage with the content without feeling overwhelmed, and aligns with the minimalist aesthetic central to Zen design. By incorporating ample whitespace and clean lines, the layout fosters a tranquil user experience, reinforcing Puss Zen Bamboots’s commitment to simplicity and mindfulness.

This Zen-inspired approach to layout and visual hierarchy is further supported by Reynolds (2014), Presentation Zen Design concepts, this approach directly helps the viewer’s focus by simplifying the work and reducing unnecessary white space and visual distractions. This technique aligns with the minimalist style of Puss Zen Bamboots, allowing essential themed elements to stand out and reinforce a sense of calm and order throughout the design concepts.

Additionally, Meggs and Purvis (2016) highlight in Meggs’ History of Graphic Design that minimalism has deep roots in design history and is often employed to create a visually balanced experience that resonates with audiences on an intuitive level. Drawing from these sources, the layout of Puss Zen Bamboots embodies both modern and historical perspectives on graphic design minimalism, supporting the brand’s commitment to Zen principles by creating a clean, balanced, and user-friendly experience.

Conclusion

The Research-Based Design process approach in the Puss Zen Bamboots thesis project highlights the importance of aligning design decisions with audience preferences, competitive insights, and design principles. This structured methodology has ensured that each choice—from materials to layout and color—was a conscious choice, research-backed, and targeted to meet the needs of environmentally conscious consumers. The tagline for example “Zen Elevate Your Cats Play” is drawn to inspire Cat owners to enhance and enliven their cat's play with safe sustainable products for their enjoyment. Through this approach, the project successfully addresses the Research PLO, demonstrating the power of research-driven design in creating a brand that resonates with both purpose and aesthetics.

Sustainable Design Practices

Puss Zen Bamboots from its initial concept phase has embraced sustainability and will implement sustainable graphic design principles as well. As Hadjiosif (2020) emphasizes, sustainable graphic design considers the environmental impact of design choices from raw materials to disposal. For Puss Zen Bamboots, this meant using eco-friendly materials like bamboo for the product and considering the entire lifecycle of promotional materials. Digital designs will be prioritized where possible to reduce paper usage, and when physical materials are necessary, recycled paper and eco-friendly inks shall be implemented. The brand's website shall be designed with sustainability, utilizing green hosting solutions, optimized for energy efficiency. The brand aligns with eco-conscious values and appeals to the target audience's environmental concerns.

References

Becker, M., & Abrams, K. M. (2023). Pet humanization: a trend analysis of pet food marketing from 2013 to 2023. journal of consumer behaviour, 22(3), 267-281.
Chase M. (2008). Creative inspirations: Margo Chase, graphic designer logos and lettering. linkedIn learning. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/creative-inspirations-margo-chase-graphic-designer/logos-and-lettering?
Chen, Y., & Chang, C. (2022). Eco-friendly product development: consumer preferences in the pet industry. Sustainability, 14(8), 4562.
Deng, L., & Poole, M. S. (2021). Aesthetic design of e-commerce web pages – webpage complexity, order, and preference. Electronic commerce research and applications, 35, 100856.
Elliot, A. J., & Maier, M. A. (2023). Color psychology: effects of perceiving color on psychological functioning in humans. annual review of psychology, 74, 501-529.
Felton, G. (2013). Advertising: concept and copy. W.W. Norton & Company.
Gaimster, J. (2022). The changing world of color forecasting. journal of the international color Association, 28, 56-68.
Grand View Research. (2023). Pet industry market size, share & trends analysis report by animal type (dog, cat, fish, bird), by product (pet food, veterinary care), by region, and segment forecasts, 2023 - 2030.
Greene, R. (2013). Mastery. Penguin Publishing Group.
Hadjiosif, S. (2020, October 18). A guide to sustainable graphic design, terra movement. https://www.terramovement.com/a-guide-to-sustainable-graphic-design/
Hanington, B., & Martin, B. (2022). Universal methods of design: 125 ways to research complex problems, develop innovative ideas, and design effective solutions. Rockport publishers.
Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J. (2023). Universal principles of design, revised and updated: 125 ways to enhance usability, influence perception, increase appeal, make better design decisions, and teach through design. Rockport publishers.
Meggs, P. B., & Purvis, A. W. (2016). Meggs’ history of graphic design (6th ed.). John wiley & sons.
Moran, K. (2024). How people read online: new and old findings. Nielsen norman group.
Reynolds, G. (2014). Presentation zen design (2nd ed.). New riders.
ShunCy. (2023). The spiritual significance of bamboo: unlocking its symbolism. ShunCy. https://shuncy.com/article/what-does-bamboo-represent-spiritually
Beyond Calligraphy. (2010, March 5). Bokuseki (墨跡) – Zen calligraphy. Beyond Calligraphy. Retrieved November 20, 2024, from https://beyond-calligraphy.com/2010/03/05/bokuseki-%E5%A2%A8%E8%B9%9F-zen-calligraphy/
Adobe Stock. (2024). Images related to “Zen, Cat (Ninja, Buddha, Monk, Ensō)” for thesis website. https://stock.adobe.com

Kamal B. Nirmul

FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY • 2024

RESEARCH

Research-Driven Design: An Analysis

References