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SmartyKat Special Collections Packaging
Project type
Packaging, Illustration
Date
April 2022
Role
Brand Designer, Packaging Designer, Illustrator
This project explored new visual directions for SmartyKat’s toy packaging through the lens of seasonal or limited-edition collections. While the designs remained in the ideation phase, the work was extremely well received by leadership and served as an exciting departure from the brand’s legacy aesthetic.
The goal was to energize the brand with collectible-style packaging that could live alongside core products while injecting whimsy, freshness, and shelf appeal. I concepted and illustrated two distinct themes—Mini Meow, featuring dreamy, playful iconography like parachuting kittens and rainbows, and Peace, Love & Paws, a retro-inspired design with flower-power motifs and a 1960s-style van filled with cats.
In contrast to the existing SmartyKat look—now dated and heavily reliant on stock photography and generic gradients—these designs showcased a hand-illustrated, character-driven approach. I also presented more conservative iterations that kept the existing layout structure while adding themed branding to show a minimal-change path forward.
This work reflects my strengths in illustration, packaging design, and visual storytelling. It also demonstrates how playful, campaign-based packaging can breathe new life into established brands.
