It's not just an infusion
To many South Americans, mate /MAH-teh/ was introduced in a social setting, this created from the very beginning an association that mate means sharing, patience, respect and care.
With every round, we create new memories of the places and people that we shared mate with, as we keep drinking, those memories come alive, and when we find ourselves far from home, mate connects us back to our roots.
Role
I wore my many hats during the different stages of the project, from initial concept, through research, design and build.
But no project is fully developed individually. Throughout the process I reached out to other professionals, as well as existing and possible consumers, to consult, gather feedback and carry out user testing.
A note on development
Research showed a clear gap in the UK market, shopping sites had few complete mate kits, and existing ones were either missing basic elements or branded for an audience already familiar with the drink. This confirmed a high barrier to entry for anyone new to mate.
My aim was to create a set which conveyed its cultural background with the same passion as when I talk about it in conversations, but yerba mate carries many possible stories, tied to colonisation, gods, medicine and social ritual. Part of the challenge was choosing which of these to share, balancing historical context with the practical information needed to prepare and enjoy the drink.
Let me delight you with a fun design fact
Straws were originally made from cane, they were completely straight and had an even diameter through their length. The natural properties of the material helped regulate the temperature of the hot water, reaching the mouth without burning the tongue or lips.
When metal was introduced as a material, the heat regulation went out of the window as metal is a great heat conductor. For this reason, the tip of the straw was flattened, greatly reducing the stream of water coming out at one time and therefore reducing the chance of burns.
Designing the leaflet
After defining the content, I explored leaflet formats within a low budget and tight timeframe.
I found the square twisting design especially interesting due to how the creases divided the space on the page and how this could dictate the distribution of content, the flow and the interaction with the person.
Final designs
“Now mate has become part of my routine, it is my second cup of coffee and I like that is an item that reminds me of a moment with a very close friend.”
Conclusion
Throughout this project I was able to learn about import requirements, the local market, and confirm first hand how tough the online and retail market is. I take my hat off to shop owners and entrepreneurs out there.
Reaching out to customers brought me great joy and the feedback I received was very positive. My favourite being how they enjoy understanding the origins of the drink they were consuming and how they themselves have now created an emotional connection with it.
The yerba mate set is now sold out.
