Nike is the most valuable - and one of the most famous - clothing brands in the world. In 2017, its Global Football Division started using Esko's Studio for packaging design, leading to considerable improvements in user-experience, concept communication and time savings.
We definitely save time and it has brought a significant increase in our productivity. Something that would have taken two, three or four hours of Photoshop work, only takes about 10 minutes."
Matt Maghan - Global Apparel + EQ Packaging Designer, Nike
The Challenge
Nike was seeking a tool that was compatible with Adobe Illustrator and could save time in creating high quality 3D designs images.
The Solution
Esko's Studio, a unique set of tools for 3D packaging design made specifically for packaging artwork professionals.
The Benefits
Make high quality 3D designs within illustrator
Improve efficiency - over 80% time saved on creating high quality 3D images
Increase team productivity and collaboration
Approve decisions quickly on how copy looks on packaging without the need for mock ups
Intuitive and user-friendly
Why Work in a Flat World if Packaging Isn't?
Matt Maghan, Global Apparel + EQ Packaging Designer at Nike, is responsible for designing the packaging templates for the Global Football Division at the company, working on anything from inflatable footballs to goalkeeper gloves. He is, in his own words, "Passionate about packaging and printing , especially for Nike."
Matt was looking for a solution, compatible with Adobe Illustrator, to make the process of creating and reviewing 3D images of his designs considerably easier.
"We have a lot of departments and project managers that we have to run all the graphics through," said Matt. " In the past, I have had to try and create 3D images myself using Illustrator or Photoshop, and it never looked quite right and was time consuming from my end. The more time I am rendering out 3D designs, I am not building templates, so it was taking away from my role."
Studio - The Perfect Solution for Creating Realistic 3D Visuals and Pack Shots with Adobe Illustrator
Matt looked at several solutions, but it wasn't until he sat down with Esko that he found the exact solutions he had been looking for. Studio is a modular solution, a mix of plug-ins and applications that work tightly together; integrated seamlessly with tools like Adobe Illustrator to help designers accelerate their packaging design.
Studio allows the user the create exciting 3D visuals, ranging from PDF files with 3D content, to movies, to virtual pack shots. It allows the user to see their products and packaging in full 3D before they even physically exist. Other 3D tools can be complicated, taking hours to model and render an image. Studio is fast and easy, as well as integrating with standard tools like Adobe Illustrator, it works with real production data to produce the most accurate image imaginable.
I realised very quickly that Esko had figured it out - this is something I have needed over the last 10 years.
Matt Maghan, Global Apparel + EQ Packaging Designer, Nike
Driving Quick Decisions
Using Esko's Studio also saves time in decision-making. For example, Matt worked on packaging for boxer briefs, which had a sliding tray as well as a box. It required 26 different language translationson the box and he had some concerns about space. With Studio, Matt could render it out very quickly and show his colleagues how it looked.
"In 3D, I could spin it around while I was still in illustrator and we soon realised it wouldn't be right, so we made the decision to put in an insert," said Matt. "So now we are making the design choices in illustrator using Studio in a matter of minutes rather than waiting, printing it out and getting it back from the printer, and running it up the flagpole at that point. It has already automatically saved me a lot of time with my reviews."
Being able to build those scenes of what exactly I am looking for and then import that back into illustrator using my flat die-line art has probably been the biggest game-changer for me."
Matt Maghan, Global Apparel + EQ Packaging Designer, Nike
A Game-Changing Time-Saver
Matt discovered that Studio is a fast and easy way to turn ideas into 3D images, whether for inspiration in the design process, to impress internal clients, or to help make key decisions more quickly.
"Being able to build those scenes of what exactly I am looking for and then import that back into Illustrator using my flat die-line art has probably been the biggest game-changer for me," he says.
"We definitely save time and it has brought a significant increase in my productivity. For example, I was working on a little shoe box and because I already had the design, I already had the design, I already had the die-line for it, I quickly went into illustrator, clicked a few buttons and something that would have taken three or four hours of a lot of heavy Photoshop work, only took about 10 minutes. That equates to over 80% of my time saved."
Easy to Use...and Fun too
One of the aspects that has really impressed Matt is its user friendliness.
"There is not a large leanring curve with Studio," he said, "especially when you already know illustrator. I picked it up probably within an hour. What I really enjoyed is the Studio part of it, building the package. In my work, I don't just deal with one sheet of paper that folds up into a box, they all have trays, lids and everything. So I go into illustrator, build out my ArtisoCAD files, and build them in Studio, which I always find fun to be hands on with it, then load that into Illustrator. I can show my clients my ideas very clearly."
Nike Uses Studio For:
Design: Understand how the artwork will look on the package. Change are instantly visible.
Content: Determine if the required content will fit on the package.
Approval: Secure agreement from all Nike stakeholders using 3D images instead of prototypes.
Communication: Communicate design intent to external suppliers who will produce the packaging, often in distant location around the globe.
Studio is Esko's 3D Packaging Software for Packaging Designers
Studio helps produce better packaging artwork; with Studio you are virtually holding the product packaging in your hands.
Studio is a fast and easy way to turn ideas into beautiful 3D images, for your own inspiration or to impress an important client.
Studio is available as a software subscription, so you have all the functionality you need, based on your workload, without a big investment.
For more information on ESKO, please contact your local Dynagraph representative.
Source: https://www.packaging-gateway.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2019/02/White-Paper-2-Nike_Studio_BO_US.pdf