"Throughout the design process, our imperative was to ensure a 'feel great factor'; the cards are gifts after all. We made use of traditional materials to give it a more personal look and feel and to reflect the credibility of the group, as opposed to the usual computer generated cards currently on the market," said Ruan Vermeulen, creative director at Am I Collective.
"The themes of the cards - masculinity, femininity and romance - emphasised the duality and balance between two opposites and were illustrated to reflect a mirror effect within each design. The designs were constructed using paper, fabrics and other materials and combined with techniques such as drop shadows, lighting and layering to give a sense of depth and an overall 3D effect.
"The design process was started by sketching the idea by hand, followed by the digital application of colour. Each individual layer was then printed and layered using various paper stock, double sided tape and loads of patience."
The male card, which speaks to the ideas of city life and adventure, reflects every modern South African male and the duality between outdoor and indoor life, whereas the female card reflects the enjoyment of shopping, being pampered, spending money and living the life of luxury and fun. The idea behind the romance card is to portray love in a non-clichéd way. This is done through the illustration of a man and a woman riding bicycles- a very on trend method of transport- coming together and sharing in the idea of love.
"With 2,000 stores across the 18 retail brands, there is something for everyone - from young to old, male or female - for any occasion. The three different cards allow a shopping experience for any personality profile," says Kathryn Sakalis, the group's CRM and communications GM. "We are very proud of the new gift card designs which appeal to our target market."
The new gift card range is currently available at any of the group's 18 retail brand stores and can be used to purchase from any of these stores within South Africa.
