As part of a new cycle of the Designed by People programme, Ledo invited its consumers to become part of the development of a brand new product and experience firsthand the processes of design, branding and industrial production.
From last year’s workshops in Vižinada to shop shelves – as of this Wednesday, Sorbet is finally here! The premium fruit ice cream whose visual identity was carefully crafted by programme participants, mentored by the Studio Sonda team, launches with a tagline that says it all: Endlessly Fruity.
Designed by People is a programme that Studio Sonda and Association Sonda have been running for four years now, in collaboration with brands who share the same belief: that creativity is not the privilege of professionals, and that fresh eyes and everyday life experience bring something to the design process that simply cannot be obtained any other way.
The open call brought in a wide range of individuals of different ages, backgrounds and walks of life, united by a desire to gain new skills and leave a personal mark on a product others would one day pick off a shelf. No prior knowledge was required – only openness to learning and curiosity about creative processes. This year’s creative team was made up of: Barbara Babić, Luka Demarin, Lorna Kuhar, Kristina Lauš, Ane Lolić and Lorena Ljevar.
Through a structured process, a shared creative lab took shape – one in which the insights and needs of real people who will one day buy this ice cream influenced the direction of the product from the very start. Guided by their mentors, participants worked through trend research and consumer behaviour analysis, concept and moodboard development, communication strategy and packaging design. A highlight of the process was a visit to the Ledo factory in Zagreb, where they were able to follow firsthand how a design moves through industrial production before reaching the hands of a customer.
Those who go through the programme often say they got more than they expected. Beyond learning how a product comes to life, they carry something harder to put into words: the experience that their perspective is a valuable starting point, and that curiosity and a fresh outlook can be just as powerful as years of professional expertise.
From that process came Sorbet: light, fruity, with just 72 kcal per piece and no artificial additives. The visual identity is built on a warm colour palette, summer motifs and a clean composition that immediately communicates naturalness and refreshment, designed to remain modular and adaptable to future flavours within the line.
With every new cycle of Designed by People and every new brand collaboration, new creative possibilities emerge, and the power of bringing real users into the process of creation continues to show. A new edition of the programme is already in the making!
