DEFINING MOTIVATIONS
DEFINING MOTIVATIONS
DOGS AND OWNERS HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIVATORS, GO FIGURE!
DOGS AND OWNERS HAVE DIFFERENT MOTIVATORS, GO FIGURE!
The dog toy aisle is truly sensory overload. Every shade of color, shape, and gimmick lures you in trying to help you imagine fun times with your four legged friend. We were brought in to develop a line of products for a client who wanted to get into this aisle but knew little of what drives this market. It's here we began uncovering insights from interviews with dog owners, trainers, and veteranarians. What we found was full of contradiction.
The dog toy aisle is truly sensory overload. Every shade of color, shape, and gimmick lures you in trying to help you imagine fun times with your four legged friend. We were brought in to develop a line of products for a client who wanted to get into this aisle but knew little of what drives this market. It's here we began uncovering insights from interviews with dog owners, trainers, and veteranarians. What we found was full of contradiction.
For example, dogs love toys that mimmick prey (think sqeakers) while owners hate that they are torn apart so easily. Contradictory, owners love the durability of rubber while dogs are only interested in a Kong if it's stuffed with treats. Many times new dog owners will seek out many different toys until they find the right mix to support their dogs favorite play habits, even if this means buying the same squeaky toy over and over again!
For example, dogs love toys that mimmick prey (think sqeakers) while owners hate that they are torn apart so easily. Contradictory, owners love the durability of rubber while dogs are only interested in a Kong if it's stuffed with treats. Many times new dog owners will seek out many different toys until they find the right mix to support their dogs favorite play habits, even if this means buying the same squeaky toy over and over again!
CREATING NEW PLAYTHINGS
CREATING NEW PLAYTHINGS
FINDING INNOVATIVE SPACE IN A SEA OF ME TOOS
FINDING INNOVATIVE SPACE IN A SEA OF ME TOOS
We developed three opportunity areas each aimed to please dog and owner likes while trying to address their common frustrations. I organized ideation sessions around themes (Relax, Move it, Game On). We generated many potential toy ideas quickly narrowing and identifing the most promising features, forms, and games to develop further.
We developed three opportunity areas each aimed to please dog and owner likes while trying to address their common frustrations. I organized ideation sessions around themes (Relax, Move it, Game On). We generated many potential toy ideas quickly narrowing and identifing the most promising features, forms, and games to develop further.
I then began crafting holistic concepts, combining fun features together with loose aesthetics. I experimented pushing many of these into new play territory (freezing, suction, and combining). The hardest part was narrowing this group from roughly a dozen to a core family of five products, each differentiated with unique play value.
I then began crafting holistic concepts, combining fun features together with loose aesthetics. I experimented pushing many of these into new play territory (freezing, suction, and combining). The hardest part was narrowing this group from roughly a dozen to a core family of five products, each differentiated with unique play value.
PLAYFUL REFINEMENT
PLAYFUL REFINEMENT
MORPHING DISPARATE OBJECTS INTO A COHESIVE COLLECTION
MORPHING DISPARATE OBJECTS INTO A COHESIVE COLLECTION
Food was the winning concept driver and it unites these five products, each capturing and delivering common dog treats in unique ways. Pilsner and Blob can be connected trapping treats for hours of sedentary solo play while Caterpillar encourages activity only releasing kibble when it's wiggled.
Food was the winning concept driver and it unites these five products, each capturing and delivering common dog treats in unique ways. Pilsner and Blob can be connected trapping treats for hours of sedentary solo play while Caterpillar encourages activity only releasing kibble when it's wiggled.
Final efforts aimed to aesthetically unite the group. I wanted these dog toys to exude fun, each of the five concepts to comes to life with a bubbly animated form language. These un-geometric sculpted shapes have plenty of erratic edges for extra bounciness and accent features that create fun visual texture.
Final efforts aimed to aesthetically unite the group. I wanted these dog toys to exude fun, each of the five concepts to comes to life with a bubbly animated form language. These un-geometric sculpted shapes have plenty of erratic edges for extra bounciness and accent features that create fun visual texture.
EACH TOY WANTED AN ANIMATED PERSONALITY
EACH TOY WANTED AN ANIMATED PERSONALITY
