PetGard (or Pet Essentials, depending on the retailer) marked a bold new venture for our manufacturing company as we expanded into the pet sector. With a focus on pet containment solutions, the product line also extended to other categories like litter boxes and pet beds, requiring a versatile design approach.
Throughout the project, the designs evolved significantly, guided by a highly involved project manager and a series of exploratory concepts that tested different aesthetics and vibes.
Ultimately, we landed on a clean and modern design, leveraging color as the key differentiator for the various products. This approach balanced visual simplicity with brand recognition, creating a cohesive line tailored to retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot.
Logo Ideas & Concepts
The design direction for the PetGard logo was focused on simplicity and consistency, aligning it with the styling of the YardGard brand for a cohesive brand family. Since PetGard was intended to complement our existing offerings, the logo needed to feel familiar while still standing out. Throughout the process, we explored various iterations, balancing visual clarity with a subtle nod to the brand’s protective qualities.
Ultimately, we incorporated a blue box into the final design to reflect Lowe’s signature color palette, ensuring the logo resonated with its retail placement and appealed to the target audience.
Logo Official
Product Photography
Photographing live dogs for this project required patience and adaptability, as their cooperation was often unpredictable. Each shot had to show happy, tongue-out dogs to meet the desired warmth, while also being composed to fit the design layout seamlessly. Lighting added complexity, needing to highlight the products while maintaining a natural, inviting feel. Despite the challenges, the final images aligned perfectly with the project’s creative and technical goals.
Photo Compositing
Sourcing “happy,” photogenic dogs of specific breeds that met the project managers’ vision proved to be a significant challenge. By compositing the dogs into the scenes using Photoshop, I had full control over their expressions, poses, and placement. This approach not only saved time but also allowed me to create polished, consistent imagery that aligned perfectly with the brand’s aesthetic and messaging.
