overview:

Blockaroo is a soft foam building block system with a unique magnetic connecting system aimed at helping younger kids develop core STEM skills. Due to higher development costs, the goal was to create an identity that had a high perceived value while also maintaining a friendly, welcoming, and fun atmosphere.

solution:

To convey Blockaroos as a high-quality product while also being welcoming and friendly, we really wanted to highlight the safe and soft nature of the toy as well as the educational benefits to help give it a higher perceived value. I looked to Swedish and Japanese design aesthetics for inspiration. I was inspired by dynamic color tones, bold typefaces, and well-used white space to give a modern, clean, and welcoming vibe to appeal to our target audience of educated millennials. I utilized the friendliest shape –the circle – to help reinforce the trusting nature of the brand. I also was partial to using white for most backgrounds to allow the colorful blocks to stand out. Perhaps the most crucial aspect was creating Buddy, the cute and wobbly star on all our boxes to appeal to toddlers and parents alike.

my role:

I was the lead designer in charge of branding identity, which included font choices, color palette, iconography, packaging, illustration, and creating Buddy with our industrial designer. I was also responsible for bringing 12 boxes in our new branding to fruition and over the finish line for production.

packaging strategy

The initial strategy of Blockaroo was to showcase different build kits with unique pieces and emphasize its STEM qualities as well as its potential as a bath toy.

I opted to use each build to create a narrative play-scape to draw a viewer in and jump start imagination. Having the build front and center, I made subtle illustrations to create a scene Buddy could be playing in, making sure the background did not detract from the vibrant colors of the blocks. I also showcased Blockaroo’s best-selling features on the bottom front of the box formed in a smile pattern to help re enforce an air of friendliness.

Showcased here is the initial pitch I created when we first started brainstorming aesthetics. Once this direction was approved, I worked on refinement and creating a much more cohesive look with font, line weights, and iconography.

I had explored several packaging options that could be utilized to create a more exciting customer experience. I suggested more interactive experience with being able to directly feel blocks or even twist them. I had also explored using a ‘book box’ with a fifth panel to have more room for marketing and increase perceived value.

font & color

For fonts I landed on ‘Averta’ as our main typeface. I found nearly all the weights it carried gave off a sophisticated yet friendly vibe that would appeal to an educated crowd with modern design aesthetics. To keep it fun, I also utilized ‘Loyola’, which we use for Buddy’s ‘voice’ as well as various headers for booklets, marketing, etc.

For the color palette, my coworker Chris Mountain and I worked tirelessly together to make sure we achieved the correct ‘tone’ we wanted to convey. We didn’t want to use harsh, saturated colors that would give it a lower perceived value. We instead opted for slightly de-saturated, warm toned hues that felt a tad more elevated and dynamic.

buddy character design

I worked with my design team, as well as our in-house industrial designer to create Buddy, our wobbling main character. My coworker had the excellent idea of having him ‘bobble’ to create more play patterns. I worked on finalizing Buddy’s shape, color, and creating multiple themed interchangeable heads. I took a lot of inspiration from the Japanese ‘kawaii’ style and giving him big friendly eyes and a cute smile. His themed heads match the respective build kits. I pushed to have him included in every box to give the packaging instant character to reinforce the branding and a face to draw the customer in.

kassia zegzdryn

blockaroo™

branding identity / packaging

role:

Lead Designer

Sept - Dec

2019