Fresh from the Field — Chapter2 & Onfire Design
This Fresh From The Field features Chapter2 which recently won a Red Dot Award for outstanding product design. As part of the Chapter2 team, Onfire contributed the bike’s standout graphics that accentuate the bike frame’s clean lines and advanced construction. If you have new or recent work that you would like to share in Fresh from the Field email Louise for details.
The Brief:
When designer, architect and bike racer Mike Pryde wanted to launch a new, technically advanced bike frame online, he needed to build the Chapter2 brand from the ground up.
The Response:
Onfire Design’s Creative Director, Sam Allan, has been an avid cyclist for 25 years. To complement the bike frame’s clean lines and technically advanced construction, Onfire’s restrained graphics and “The road less travelled” brand story were rolled out across packaging, apparel, e-commerce web site, stationery as well as the frames themselves.
The first year sales target was reached within a matter of months and demand has outstripped supply.
“Working with Sam and his team at Onfire was an inspiring experience. They clearly understood the brief and what we were trying to achieve with Chapter2 which was often difficult to explain or visualise.
Within days of the initial meeting, Onfire had the basis of a new brand, and from there, their creative team were able to develop the whole brand DNA, Brand ID and Graphic Design on the product and packaging.
The Chapter2 website was to form a large part of the overall project and the fact that we were building a global brand from NZ made the project complex. Without their expertise, the website would not have been completed on time and to the technical and visual quality we wanted.” Mike Pryde, Chapter2 Bikes
The Accolades:
Chapter2 was awarded a bronze in the New Zealand Best Awards Consumer category and gold in product design as well as a finalist in the ISPO Brandnew Awards.
What does Chapter2 now have in common with the likes of Apple, Ferrari, Dyson and TAG Heuer? No less than a prestigious Red Dot Award for product design!
The Red Dot Award is recognised around the world as one of the most sought after seals of quality for design excellence. Thousands of products are entered in the competition and are evaluated by the Red Dot Jury that convenes once a year.
The jury of around 40 independent designers, design professors and specialist journalists tested, discussed and assessed each product before awarding Chapter2 The Red Dot Award: Product Design 2019.
“What a buzz,” says Mike Pryde, CEO of Chapter2. “After winning Gold at the New Zealand Best Design Awards we were encouraged to enter the prestigious Red Dot competition. It just goes to show that innovative design principals, teamwork and a bit of Kiwi ingenuity can take you all the way. A big shout out to our graphic design partner, Onfire Design, who made a huge contribution to the bike’s appearance.
Chapter2 will receive its Red Dot Award, along with the other winners, at the award ceremony in July in the city of Essen, Germany. The bike will then be exhibited I the Red Dot Museum in Essen.
