Sakura of America Permapaque Packaging

Sakura of America is a pen and marker manufacturer that originated in Japan. They make the popular Micron pens, Gellyroll pens, and a plethora of other art materials. I was tasked with designing packaging for their rebrand relaunch of their Permapaque marker line. Their previous design was dated and geared more toward crafters rather than the desired audience of artists and designers.

I was ecstatic to land this project. I'm an avid user of all of Sakura's products, and I happen to fall into their target audience. A design movement from the 1980s, Memphis, has seen a resurgence recently, and I thought the bold, graphic prints would be a great inspiration for the packaging. Designers would be familiar with this style and it would attract them on the store shelves. I chose bright, gender neutral colors, and a clean, modern font that contrasts well with the brush lettering of the Permapaque logo. This bold design definitely stands out from the rest of Sakura's packaging as well as competitor markers such as Sharpie.

Photos courtesy of Sakura of America