RULU Hardware
#Visual Design
#Photography
#Art Direction
#Messaging
#Experience Strategy
To address the growing need for in-person product samples, RULU Hardware, a B2B hardware e-commerce company, has established a retro hardware store combined with a coffee shop. This unique physical space boasts an assortment of hardware products displayed amidst bold retro tones and geometric arcs, alongside specialty coffee and homemade desserts. Despite the distinctive concept, foot traffic there is low. To increase patronage, necessitating an investment in promotional materials such as leaflets, menus, and cool cards.
For this project, my approach as a fiction designer was to evoke powerful story images and emotions through the printed materials. In addition to fulfilling the requirement of combining flyers and catalogs while extending the store's style, I incorporated Utopian elements into the installation art display as a visual language. By skillfully integrating hardware products with sci-fi space, I created a unique world view for four distinct hardware series, elevating these seemingly mundane products to new heights.
My aim for this printed material is to pique the curiosity of both interior designers and the public towards Rulu Hardware, and to motivate them to seek out more information about the store. Using a minimalist white cover design, I aimed to create a window-like effect that offers a glimpse into the store's aesthetic. The cover's tactile qualities also contribute to its allure, enticing viewers to explore the contents inside.
The inner pages of the envelope serve as an introduction to RULU Hardware. Instead of simply presenting information about the store, I want the document to serve as an invitation to a fantastical world. By incorporating vibrant colors and using smooth single-sided copper cardstock with store photographs, we gradually reveal the unique character of RULU Hardware to our readers.
To evoke the sci-fi atmosphere and capture the reader's attention amidst a sea of information, we need a special totem - a key that is both simple and recognizable. Rather than a secondary logo, it will appear only in various prints of this series. By utilizing elements from the shop's space design as lines, cutting and filling them in appropriate proportions, I have created a mark that belongs uniquely to this time and space.
As the variety of items in the hardware store is vast, it is impractical to list them all. Hence, after discussing with RULU, we decided to feature 4 groups of the most representative hardware series, which consist of 67 pieces. These groups include the retro, switch, modern, and brass series. I created four fictional scenes with hardware as the key vision, which highlight their respective attributes. The front page is visually striking, while the back page provides detailed information about the products and the store. Furthermore, we also designed a drink menu with a similar style to promote the RULU cafe.
To satisfy guests' curiosity about RULU's distinctive identity, I incorporated the visual elements of the space into the dining experience by placing stand cards on the table. This eye-catching object, shown in three colors simultaneously and standing on its own, serves as both informative and decorative pieces. Simple to assemble and easily accessible for guests to read, the Triangle Stand has become a characteristic feature of the dining table.
RULU strives to revolutionize the hardware store experience, by not only catering to its customers but also providing satisfaction to visitors. To further attract consumers, we introduce an unique souvenir, Utopian Postcards. These serve as gifts to our customers and as an approach to entice more people to visit our shop.
