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WIDE REWIND
BY 03/16

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

VESPA “PROFESSOR” OF
VISUAL IDENTITY & COMMUNICATION

“UNSW PIAGGIO PROJECT” IS A SPECIAL COURSE AT THE FACULTY OF ART & DESIGN, CREATED IN COOPERATION WITH THE PADDINGTON CAMPUS. THE CHALLENGE FOR THE STUDENTS IS TO DESIGN CREATIVE PROJECTS TO ENHANCE THE ICONIC ITALIAN SCOOTER AND BOOST ITS PERCEPTION AND APPEAL.

Images from the concept by Jessica Hombre (UNSW Australia Art & Design); Visual Identity module for the academic course centred on the Vespa.

IN THE CLASSROOM WITH THE VESPA. Characterised by a stable economy and growing population, Australia is a strategic market for Piaggio to invest in and offer opportunities for young creative talents. With a strong emotional heritage associated with its Italian spirit rooted in style and elegance, the iconic Vespa brand has reported worldwide growth for decades, establishing a distinctive leadership in the international scooter sector. Australia with its unique cultural personality and lifestyle may seem unresponsive to Europe’s behavioural and emotional canons. Given this situation, Nicola Capello, Area Manager Australia & New Zealand (part of the Piaggio Group’s Piaggio Asia Pacific 2 Wheeler division), and his team have established a cooperation agreement with the faculty of Art & Design of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, involving more than 300 second- and third-year students.

The young creative undergraduates have been asked to develop design concepts that communicate visually how the Vespa is part of contemporary Australian life, in order to raise its appeal and perception, and create effective “visual messages” for the various consumer targets. The result is a specific course, the “UNSW Piaggio Project”, developed jointly with the faculty to meet academic requirements, subdivided into two Graphics Media specialisations: the “Visual Identity” module and the “Visual Communication” module.

AN EXPLOSION OF CREATIVITY, AND AWARDS FOR THE BEST PROJECTS

Image from the project by Kaitlin Polkinghorne (UNSW Australia Art & Design); Visual Identity module.

The unique nature of the project, based on close cooperation between Piaggio and the university, has generated close ties with the students, raising the visibility and awareness of the Vespa brand and stimulating increased interest in the Piaggio Group. The students had the opportunity to work directly with the company team, developing targeted creative concepts that reveal enthusiasm, emotions, passion and great interest in the Vespa world.

Image from the project by Niklas Gustavsson (UNSW Australia Art & Design); Visual Identity module.

Brand visibility and the importance of the brand for the end consumer, considering the various reference targets, from the young hipster to the eco-aware commuter and the evergreen traveller, are some of the key elements that have provided inspiration. The project has also involved the design of original accessories relating to the characteristic lifestyle of the Australian client, such as the “surfboard carrier” or personalised Vespa graphics.

The course began in February 2016 and has been completed by the “Visual Identity” students with the preparation of more than 150 concepts; the second module, “Visual Communication”, will finish at the end of June. At the end of the course, the three finalist projects will be announced, selected by a joint Piaggio-UNSW team. Their authors will “win” a two-month internship working with the Piaggio Group’s Australian team, gaining valuable experience. We’ll find out about the three winning projects in the next issue of Wide. In the meantime, let’s enjoy some of the concepts developed by the students on the Visual Identity module in the images and galleries in this article.

Image taken from the River Le Drifter project (UNSW Australia Art & Design); Visual Identity module.

MORE INFO ON UNSW ART & DESIGN WEBSITE; NEWS: ICONIC VESPA DESIGN ADAPTED FOR NEW 21ST CENTURY MARKETS. Italian design masters at the classic Piaggio brand have challenged UNSW Art & Design students to adapt and tailor scooter designs synonymous with everything the world loves about Italy.
www.artdesign.unsw.edu.au