Launching Foothill Toy Co. Children’s Toys
Brand Identity x Creative Direction.
Creative Director, Product Designer, and Digital Asset Manager
Designer on a team of marketing and creative professionals
ROLE
At Foothill Toy Co. I played a pivotal role in bringing a brand presence to life, focusing on open-ended, low-tech toys to combat the prevalence of screen exposure for children. I conceptualized the brand and created a creative strategy; Through product development with mockups, to packaging design and digital asset creation I brought the brand to life over the course of a few months.
BACKGROUND
As an emerging children’s brand, Foothill Toy Co. faced the challenge of establishing a cohesive brand strategy while growing in sales. With a few well-performing Amazon products, we began to extend into new product categories in time for upcoming Holiday Seasons. To promote our brand across all channels we needed a clear direction to guide the creation of assets for both our website and Amazon, focusing on adaptability across various online channels.
CHALLENGE
Build a comprehensive brand strategy and creative direction for a children’s Toy brand
Create assets optimized for selling products on Amazon, with a focus on increasing sales volume
Concept and bring new products to life, while extending product categories
GOALS
I conducted thorough competitor and user research, while presenting three brand strategies to a parental panel. The chosen strategy, "Toys as childhood treasures," influenced our messaging, tone, and visual identity. Our brand package emphasized low-tech enrichment, gaining parents' trust, and a partnership with the Children’s Museum of Idaho to meet the needs of our stakeholders.
RESEARCH & IDEATION
Insight: “ Children develop through play and form memories around toys“
BRAND MESSAGE, STYLE GUIDE & PHOTOGRAPHY
Our branding was focused on making our toys childhood treasures while keeping low-tech and parental trust a main emphasis. The tone was authentic and playful, with a core message of keeping children inspired and fostering imagination. Photography aimed to capture the essence of "childhood magic," and I designed the icons for image overlays to complement our tone.
PRODUCT DEVELOPEMENT
Following the establishment of the brand, we expanded into new toy categories overcoming compliance laws and production challenges. I conceptualized themes, designed packaging, collaborated with manufacturers overseas, and created digital assets for each launch which ended up promoting sales volume and awareness.
WEBSITE
Our WIX-based website aligned with the brand's style guide and photography. The two main product categories seamlessly linked to Amazon, prioritizing a user-friendly experience for mobile users. During the holiday season, a sub-campaign showcased products as perfect gifts, enhancing the holiday shopping experience.
AMAZON PLATFORM
To enhance our sales traction on Amazon, we optimized the digital assets across the listings for each of our toys. These listings included pieces of our brand strategy and messaging, along with key informational graphics. Our strategy approached each toy category individually by mentioning our line of toys.
View a product
Our Amazon storefront mirrored the website, ensuring a consistent brand experience. We implemented seasonality, by leaving space to change promotions. During the holiday season, it achieved 457 sales with a 12% conversion rate.
RESULTS
With the goal of having our branding ready for the holiday shopping season, the timeline we created allowed for a successful launch in November. Sales increased by 46%, and the storefront conversion rate rose to 12%, surpassing the previous year's average of 7%. The visual identity continues to effectively represent the brand's growth and appeal.
Brand Strategy and Creative Direction
Messaging and Style Guide Development
E-commerce Optimization
Product Conceptualization, Design and Production
Marketing Campaign Execution
Social Media Asset Creation
Web Design
