Dec 2012 - Sep 2013
7-ELEVEN HK X MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
This was one of the first projects I handled when I started in the toy industry. The initial learning curve was rather steep, as I had to account for design, budget while handling client relations right off the bat. However, it was also a rewarding challenge as it broke me in quickly to the intricacies of the toy industry and how a to better optimize design for manufacture.
Overview
This was a project done for a client who ran in-store redemption promotions for 7-Eleven. These promotions involve a stamp exchange program designed to encourage customer spending at the outlets in exchange for toy figures. Our role was to provide support with design and manufacturing of these toys.
In this case, the project was based off the up-coming Monsters University movie by Disney Pixar.
My role
This project involved interpreting new characters around a pre-existing part. This became an additional constraint we had to keep in mind during the design phase.
My role was to ensure the mechanism employed worked with all character designs, while keeping in line with the licensor’s guidelines, as well as the client’s budget.
2D Concepts
The main concept of the figure was to have a pen pop out of its head when its legs were pushed out. The pen was a standard part which we already made from a previous project.
We started making concepts in 2D just to see the lineup and estimate the dimensions required to fit in the existing part.
Prototyping and Quality control
Physical prototypes were made before tooling and production started. This helped us to go through each design and spot errors, while simultaneously setting expectations for both our factory and the client.
Marketing Content
Once the production process kicked off, we were asked by our clients for product related graphics to aid their marketing efforts. The main bulk of which were 3D renderings of each character. These were used in promotional videos, posters and splash pages for 7-eleven to build up hype in the days leading up to the movie premiere.
Project Review
Even though this project was a challenge to someone who just started in the industry, I felt really rewarded by the experience. I especially felt a sense of achievement seeing the love that people shown for these characters.
The project went on to win project of the year at 7-11, subsequently selling upwards of 4 million pieces as it spread across different countries in the SEA region, with different mixes of characters catering to different markets.