In this Project I Designed a made up collaboration McDonald's happy meal box with Hello Kitty. With the main goal of creating a fun playful design that was able to encapsulate both Brands in the design. 

How to incorporate two brand elements while maintaining fun engaging packaging 

product design, brand design, illustration 

Adobe Illustrator

I started by researching the history of the McDonald's Happy meal box and Hello kitty. To get a better understanding of the purpose of the packaging and the idealized target audience. I learned that the Iconic Happy meal box we know and love today was created by the designer Bob Bernstein. Who sought to create fun engaging packaging meant to resemble a lunch pale. With the most important part being the games and suprise toys on and within the packaging used in order to keep kids busy while they eat. making the main purpose of the packaging to inspire joy in the children while they eat their meal. 

similarly Hello Kitty, the maschot of her parent Company, Sanrio was created in order to bring happiness. With their main slogan "Nakayoku" meaning "getting along together"  they seek to create smiles through small gifts. Due to the similar nature of the two companies goals the collaberation between the two felt the most natural.

Once I had understood the objective of the packaging I then began to research the key elements of the branding. I started by gathering samples of works that reflected the Sanrio brand. While the overall look of Sanrio has changed over the year I specifically wanted to target the late 90s and early 2000s graphics. Once I had gathered works I then began to dissect the key elements. Where I was able to conclude that the main aspects of where the flat busy graphics, bright colors, and patterns. 

For the McDonald's aspect I wanted to infuse key elements of the branding such as the golden Arches and the red font panel as to keep the focus on this being a McDonalds product. 

For the Happy Meal box I wanted to create a wrapped nature scene of the hello kitty world for the kid to explore and interact with. I intentionally left the scene devoid of characters so they are able to create their own scenario with the included toy sticker sheet. For the front of the packaging I replaced the smile with a sprite of Hello Kitty since she doesn't have a mouth and would further the idea a colab. Keeping the front panel red as to keep within McDonalds Branding. 

I utilized a checkered pattern of complimentary colors for the top of the box while also highlighting notable aspects of product descrpition. while keeping the front of the box similar to that of the happy meal box. 

I kept the fry Box pretty much the same except for adding the bow in the corner in order to emphasize the Hello Kitty branding and to help tie it in thematically. 

I designed the milk carton after a similar milk carton image with an M that is often found within Sanrios branding. So I alluded to this except I replaced the traditional M with that of the McDonalds M and bow that I have used in other aspects of the design

For the surprise toy I included a sticker sheet with all the main Sanrio Characters with extra pieces to build their custom scenario on the back of the McDonalds Packaging.