DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
Tekio : ● Biodiversity, life and its dynamism, the coexistence, and exchange of energies that feed each other and generate value
● Collective well-being of multiple and sustainable impacts
● Interrelatedness of the actors of a conscious market chain looking to preserve biodiversity through an alternative way of life
● Preservation. Long-term perspective
● Balance and friendliness
In sum, the tree of life in Mexican traditions as a symbol of abundance, harmony, and diversity inspired the essence of the project.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
Tekio : The project focused on developing a differentiation strategy for Biodiverse Friendly in six Production Systems in Mexico: Coffee, cacao, honey, silvopasture, forestry, and eco-tourism. We aimed at creating a visually appealing system was developed applicable in rural and traditional contexts as well as in the premium markets to characterize products and services with biodiversity-friendly practices.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
Tekio : Promote the project among institutions and NGOs to continue the work of diffusion and appropriation of the project by national producers and consumers.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
Tekio : September 2017-October 2018. Currently: 1st stage launching
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
Tekio : Commissioned by the General Office of Corridors and Biological Resources, Mexico, part of the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, Mexico with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the World Bank, as the executive agency, we developed a strategy that addressed a multi-target audience while positioning the value for the Biodiverse Friendly attribute as a movement.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
Tekio : This strategy is to be lead by the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity in collaboration with other promoting institutions.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
Tekio : We love meaningful and impactful challenges on a large scale.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
Tekio : The team made a great research job but it was completely an in-house design.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
Tekio : This strategy addresses a multi-target audience:
-Different level of producers from 6 different systems
-Distribution channel
-Different level of consumers
-Institutions (private, public, academic)
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
Tekio : This project aims to become a movement. Part of the design is a very visually engaging texture, it is not a logo, nor a stamp certification. It's an appealing brand identity to be applied to the different products and services from a legend/slogan to a visual texture.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
Tekio : Provided by the client
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
Tekio : Co-creation and Common sense
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
Tekio : A visually appealing system was developed applicable in rural and traditional contexts as well as in the premium markets
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
Tekio : Bitácora Social, an anthropology research consultancy, experts on communications in rural contexts, experts on biodiverse friendly, local communities with biodiverse friendly practices
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
Tekio : Only graphic design tools
DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
Tekio : ● To differentiate the Biodiverse Friendly attribute in products and services within the growing market of eco-friendly products
● To define the characteristics and values of the attribute
● To generate a solution for products and services that was also functional for the six systems of production and to the actors involved in the system
● To develop a system applicable in rural and traditional contexts as well as in the premium market
● To include various institutions with a broad variety of needs and perspectives, in different stages of development
● To distinguish Biodiverse Friendly from a stamp or certification among the many that currently exist
DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
Tekio : We feel it is relevant for the strategic design industry as an example of a complex project with a vernacular, multi-target strategy.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
Tekio : We had a deeper comprehension of rural Mexico, we became more sensitive to different contexts, and be empathic to what is relevant for every stakeholder.
