Each year, Oracal distributes a Digital Inkjet Media Selection Guide, which offers updated technical specs, new media, updated printers, and other information.
The challenge is creating a piece that maintains brand cohesion, that stands out from the previous years’ versions and that is distinguishable from the other guides that run concurrently. In the past, the company chose to use images from Andretti Autosport on its covers (Oracal is a sponsor). However, a new approach was suggested in the interest of creating a more distinct brochure.
To that end, I focused my design around these key words: vibrant, dynamic, moving, forward-thinking, bright, energetic. The result was an abstract design that I think captures the essence of those key words.
The design of the 8-page brochure is built upon multiple layers of flowing, organic shapes and lines that guide the eye through the brochure. The color palette is composed of vibrant yellows and oranges that mix and create analogous hues. The inside pages maintain this organic flow while at the same time introduce a technological feel via the shapes and opacities created in the text boxes — a nod to the progressive, forward-thinking approach of the company.
The center spread table chart was built in InDesign using the table tools. I highly recommend learning and using the table tools as often as possible. Why? Well, here are two examples: When we needed to arrange the series in numerical order, it was as simple as copying and pasting an entire row. And when we decided to remove a series from the chart, it was as simple as highlighting the row and deleting it. The information beneath that row moved up and the table color/background properties adjusted themselves.
In future instances of this brochure, the designer will have an easier time manipulating the information in the table because it was built in InDesign as opposed to another program, like Illustrator.
The other pieces of the brochure were two inserts that contain quick reference guides to the array of digital media and accompanying laminates. These likewise were built exclusively in InDesign and will provide the designer with an easier way to update the information.