The Packaging Design Talent Files
# 3— BNO Packaging Talent Award winner Maaike Fecken
By Connie Fluhme
PR at VBAT
BNO NEXTpack is turning the spotlight on Dutch Packaging Design. Maaike Fecken won the second prize at the BNO Packaging Talent Award 2015. The designer explains why she participated, and what she does with packaging. Maaike Fecken studied Product Design at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts and graduated in 2013. In October 2015 she was awarded the second prize in the BNO Packaging Talent Award competition with her packaging design for Koopeenkoe.nl.
Why did you choose to study Product Design?
MF: “I always wanted to do a study at an art school. I chose Product Design because it is a hands-on discipline, where you work on both concept and the practical part. This study offers great attention to the development of the students’ own identity and vision. You are challenged through design assignments to develop your own creativity in a professional manner.”
Has there also been attention for packaging design?
MF: “Until the final year of the study, Packaging Design hasn’t played a significant role. In the last year we were for the first time challenged to think about branding and putting our graduation collection into the market.
Although I would have liked to think about packaging and branding, I find it understandable that ArtEZ hasn’t focused on that.
Four years of education is a short time to learn a discipline, the focus of the Product Design study was therefore the design of a product.”
What did you do after your degree?
MF: “In 2013 I graduated with a collection of food-related products, named ‘Buitengewoon’ (Extraordinary). In the period after my studies I have done and tried out many different things. For example, I have set up a mobile food concept together with a friend called ‘Beschaafd’ (Civilized). We didn’t only sell handmade crushed ice on location, we also developed an appropriate corporate identity, surprising flavour combinations and functional ice furniture for this project”.
Why did you join the BNO Packaging Talent Award?
MF: “Through various projects and plans after graduation, it became more and more clear to me that I would like to work commercially.
Food as a discipline attracts me enormously, with packaging, branding, food styling and photography in particular. During my research I found the BNO Packaging Talent Award at and I decided to participate.”
What design choices have you made for your submission?
MF: “All in all, there went quite some time into my design for Koopeenkoe.nl. I liked it, thought it was important to use my skills as a Product Designer and soon I decided to realize my physical product. Gradually during the process of sketching and thinking, the packaging design, which I have entered into the competition, evolved. Important principles on which I have based my design choices were clarity, trust and personal information.”
The jury says about your design: ‘The second price is for Maaike Fecken, who clearly has put much attention into the design. She creates an atmospheric picture with cautery like effects. Red as a colour combination in relation to meat is dangerous, but the way the red seals in the design are applied creates bright accents. Details of the design are personal (ear number, signature of the butcher, etc) and the labelling is clear.’ What do you think about this comment?
MF: “I’m happy with my design and the comments of the jury, and I see my award entry as a first of many more. At the moment I am in conversation with Koopeenkoe.nl in order to find out how certain parts could be improved and I am convinced that a much nicer design will derive from that.”
Would you consider convincing others to join the BNO PTA?
MF: “I would definitely recommend to others to join the BNO Packaging Talent Award. Except the great honour, this prize won me more knowledge and experience about the commercial food discipline. Winning the second prize assured my feeling that I’m on the right path.
I’ve had a great response and I very much hope that my participation in this contest opens a door in the packaging design discipline!”
If you enjoyed reading this, please click “Recommend” below.
This will help to share the story with others.
Follow VBAT on Twitter | Like us on Facebook
written by Connie Fluhme PR at VBAT
