Featured image for The Dieline Awards 2016 Outstanding Achievements: Man Crates presents: Smash and Grab Gift Cards

The Dieline Awards 2016 Outstanding Achievements: Man Crates presents: Smash and Grab Gift Cards

by Elizabeth Freeman on 05/22/2016 | 3 Minute Read

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Man Crates is an e-commerce company building awesome men’s gifts that strengthen relationships and celebrate fun. Our mission is to help customers honor and thrill the men in their lives by injecting humor and adventure into their gifts. It’s not just about the awesome products inside, we aim to create unforgettable gift experiences.Smash and Grab was born out of the seemingly impossible challenge to make gift cards exciting. Gift cards are impersonal and forgettable, but they’ve survived as necessary evils due to their convenience and practicality. We wanted to redeem the gift card’s underwhelming reputation with a package and process that was exceedingly more interesting and entertaining.

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We began with the packaging. There’s nothing noteworthy about an ordinary white envelope: the traditional packaging of gift cards, bills, and jury summons. But a gift card sealed inside a rock solid concrete brick reading “SMASH ME” will definitely raise some eyebrows.We developed a silicone mold around a prototype brick and laser-cut lettering, then began experimenting with different mixtures and densities of concrete to determined the most efficient and durable material. After a few thrilling smash tests, we’d successfully designed a process for sending gift cards enclosed completely in concrete.

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Along with the concrete-encased gift card, Smash and Grab includes a ball-peen hammer and safety goggles. To fit the adventurous, hands-on experience of the Smash Brick, we printed a buffalo plaid design onto the cardboard insert, then created shape-specific cutouts for each item. Finally, we created a distressed, red and black buffalo plaid box to house the smashing equipment. And to maximize the bewilderment of the recipient, we intentionally left out any instructions other than the “SMASH ME” lettering on the brick and a “Good Luck” offering printed on the inside of the box flap. The Smash and Grab Gift Card began as a boring gift card and became a bold gift experience of delightful demolition.

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Designed by Man Crates

Country: United States