To recognize their 45th year in business, a client appreciation gift was designed to highlight the company's values and capabilities, their future goals, and how the partnership with their clients got them there. Inside each toolbox was a set of "tools" for igniting ingenuity. Those items included: Collaboration—cookie tin; Innovation—VR goggles; Sustainability—locally sourced seed packet; Inspiration—a notebook and pen; and a pop-up photo frame for the recipient to insert a team photo into.
Process
Every item in the box, including the box itself, needed to emulate the idea of Ingenuity. Each box also needed to stay under a certain price point, to include shipping. Months of planning, phone calls, meetings, revisions, additions, substitutions, and manual labor went in to the final product. Below is a brief overview of the entire project.
Logistics. What are the min/max dimensions and weight the box can be to hold 4-5 items? Can the items be placed in slots to ensure every box display is identical? Who produce these boxes locally? Can we outsource the box assembly locally? Where can boxes be stored? Who will receive a box (how many total boxes are needed)? What vendors can we work with?
Planning. What are the dimensions of all the items going in the box? There should be a dedication placement/size for shipping labels that meets USPS standards. How can we apply creative messaging (Easter eggs) in to the product? What does the theme "Ingenuity" mean and how do we ensure that definition is seen by the recipient? What should the flow of the experience be? What is read first and last?
Design. Blue and grey are the main colors, green, orange, purple, and gold are secondary color palettes, to reflect the firm branding. Style should be minimalist and cohesive to allow plenty of room for messaging from leadership. Explore opportunities for iconography as they relate to the item and the theme word it corresponds with.
Execution. Multiple scale mock-ups were made in-house, and provided by vendors to test the strength of the product. testers were given boxes and asked to provide first impressions. What was seen first; how did they open it; did the items shift inside the box; stay organized; how long did it take to find the firm letter; is it clear who sent the box; did "ingenuity" come to mind; what was the level of excitement/pleasure in receiving?
