Students Redesign Iconic Brands in GSD's Hands-On Supermarket Course

Revamping Household Brands

The course "Paper or Plastic: Reinventing Shelf Life in the Supermarket," offered at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, encourages a fresh perspective on familiar consumer brands. Led by twin brothers Teman and Teran Evans, this unique program isn't just about aesthetics; it examines the very DNA of brand identity and consumer relationships. With over a decade of teaching experience under their belts, the brothers bring a wealth of knowledge in brand strategy, consumer engagement, and design thinking into the classroom. The course emerges at a time when many well-known brands find themselves struggling against shifting consumer preferences, making this exploration particularly timely.

Course Dynamics

This past fall, students were tasked with exploring brands that had fallen out of public favor, some even sold off by their parent companies amid declining relevance. Teman points out that the new owners see something the previous ones did not: potential. The challenge is clear: revitalize brands that others might have dismissed. This scenario reflects a broader trend in the consumer goods sector, where nostalgia often collides with modern demands. Students aren’t just playing with design; they’re required to dig deep into what made these brands work in the first place and what could make them appealing again.

Team-Based Approach

To tackle this challenge effectively, students formed teams of nine to eleven members, representing brands like Clean & Clear, Kleenex, Popsicle, and Yoplait. These students first immersed themselves in comprehensive market research, targeting specific demographic slices that may have been overlooked. It’s a critical step often skipped in creative projects, but not in this case. They aimed to identify new consumer needs and preferences, a process often relegated to corporate marketing teams but here placed in the hands of future design leaders. Armed with these insights, teams approached their redesigns with a fresh eye, asking themselves not just how to make a product look better, but how to make it resonate with today's consumers.

Pitch and Evaluation

Culminating the semester, each team presented their revamped concepts to a panel of seasoned design professionals vetted through the Evan brothers' extensive industry connections. The evaluations went beyond what was on the slides; they assessed presentation quality, team interaction, and the persuasive power of their pitches. This format emphasizes the importance of communication and collaboration—skills that are invaluable in any design or business profession. A presentation isn't merely about the product; it’s also about storytelling, context, and convincing stakeholders of an idea's viability. And yet, the pressure to deliver compelling arguments adds a layer of realism to the academic exercise. The stakes feel high because they are high; this is what awaits them in the professional world.

A Call to Mentorship

Looking ahead, Teman Evans has a visionary goal for his students: he wants them to pay it forward. "We want them to inspire future innovators and disruptors," he asserts. This aspiration reflects a growing trend in education, where teaching goes beyond the curriculum and aims to foster a culture of mentorship and support. If you're working in this space, you'll understand that professional development often relies on both skills and community. Teman's call implies that the learning doesn't end at graduation; instead, it evolves into a lifelong commitment to uplift others. This legacy-building aspect adds depth to the educational experience, making the lessons learned about design also applicable to leadership and influence.

Implications and Future Outlook

The course isn't just relevant for students in design; it has implications for the broader consumer goods industry, which is grappling with rapid change. Traditional brands are finding themselves at a crossroads. Many are relying on retro strategies combined with modern insights. If the Evan brothers' course continues to shape the next generation of brand strategists and designers, we may see shifts in how brands approach renovations and revivals. A new brand ethos could emerge, one that not only values creativity but also prioritizes consumer engagement and community feedback as essential components of brand development.

This isn't just about repackaging or rebranding; it's about reinvention at a fundamental level. For brands to survive, they must create emotional connections with consumers, leveraging the insights gained from younger demographics while still honoring the legacy of past successes. Those who adapt will thrive; those who don’t may find themselves sold off for good. The message is clear: in a saturated market, stagnation could mean extinction.