Davis, CA — all these assignments were for Clackeys, a small biz and creative studio whose mission was invading desk space, with handcrafted awesomeness.

The Assignment

The initial ask regarded packaging design for multiple niche collections, for officially licensed, Hasbro properties, framed thru the Clackeys lens.

We’d be tackling Scrabble, Magic: The Gathering, The Transformers, and Monopoly.

Clackeys had a prerequisite hurdle: there was scant brand language available. They had a logotype. They had a color black — no color palette, no typography. There were undefined company values and no clear mission other than “Clackeys brand keycaps”. What was their positioning in the bigger market ?

How to construct a puzzle, without any parts ? So, in addition to the packaging design assignments, this was also a brand refresh sort o’ thing, a one-time update.

Conducted a Brand Identity Audit

So, before anything, wanted to show Clackeys what we were working with. Wanted to clarify whether or not we wanted to rebrand fully, or continue from where the branding is presently.

Considering the various production timelines, we decided on what to let alone, and what to carve out further. We left the logo as is. We workshopped the mission. We defined values. We leaned in on their black color. I explored typefaces. Projected how customers might interact with a box, or store it away.

Below are some selects from the slide deck.

As Clackeys thrived, during the 2020, Zoom video era, more people sought to personalize their desk space; sales rose, increasingly. In tandem with this, that’s when the company diversified their merchandise to three products: artisan keycaps, keycap sets, and desk mats. 

They branched out officially, acquiring licenses from Hasbro, Blizzard Entertainment, and Riot Games. A team of top local artists / university students were assembled to help with the large outputs of artisan keycaps to paint.

First Drafts

I could see somethin’ that incorporated their stylish black color, with all the visual appeal in some kind of informational typography, and the bright colors from the nostalgic imagery that we’d get access to from the Hasbro hub of intellectual property.

Before this company phase, Clackeys had been shipping products in tiny burlap bags and single-ring, lift-off-lid boxes, with zero product specs, or much personality.

My initial sketches, below, I wanted to “activate” all sides of the box. Intended to bring value to “the box” with product specs, because in the world of mechanical keyboards, customers need to know details. Utilized a diagonal line to separate the creative studio from the toy brand.

Considered showing the product inside. We opted not to. There would most likely be rounds of fine-tuning to the keycap designs. The product and packaging were in progress, in tandem.

Needed a Recap, on keyboards & Keycaps

Or, more like: Keycaps 101. Had to study up. Better to design a thing, knowing more ’bout the market. Mechanical keyboards are high-quality, infinitely customizable, and functional. The company started by selling custom mechanical keyboard caps, also called artisan keycaps, to online communities, where it generated a buzz. The products were rendered in-house by Clackeys owner Polysculpture (Robert Vignone, a digital 3D modeler character artist), then 3D printed, then hand-painted.

Artisan Keycaps

Started working on the two artisan keycaps boxes, a single-ring, lift-off-lid, container style.

Clackeys owner Polysculpture worked on 3D models of the artisans.

We ended up switching to two sleeves instead, to sell 3-packs and 5-packs.

Keycap sets

Refined two keycap set boxes based on the first drafts as Clackeys made progress on the keycaps. Seeing their work helped me better understand the customer.

Clackeys worked with a keycap designer, Spiked Synapse (Joshua Certain), to spec out two keycap sets: one for the heroic Autobots and one for the villainous Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war.

They determined switch type and layout compatibility, decided on PBT plastic for durability, selected a cherry profile, and chose dye-sub printing for the legends (the symbols on keycap surfaces). To produce the sets, they worked with CannonKeys and NicePBT, two specialized vendors.

Trade Show Exhibit / Las Vegas 2023

MagicCon: Las Vegas 2023 took place from 22–24 September 2023 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, featuring various Magic: The Gathering events, exhibitors, the world championship, preview panels, cosplayers.

Clackeys set up a booth and we displayed our wares. Designed many big and lil’ signs. Tried out a chill blue, as a new brand color. The Transformers keycap sets were $99 each.

Desk Mats

The boxes for The Transformers desk mats only needed one design. Brought together both alien factions, assigning each to two, connecting box sides.

The super-sized mats were 900mm by 400mm, with a choice of seven art styles, including two painted battle scenes, the official license for the first generation Transformers circa 1984.

We curated art selects for the desk mats from dozens of official art files, narrowed it down.

The mats were $25 each. We rolled them up. Fit snug in the rectangular column box design. Don’t have any photo of the actual product in box — but here’s the one for Scrabble.