pick'd
Proof of concept for a vegetable based category for LEGO® toys and build kits.
pick’d
Proof of concept for a vegetable based category for LEGO® toys and build kits. All materials were developed as part of a 72 hour self-guided project. Two vegetables were selected and developed through to CAD models to show the foundation for the line which can be expanded as outlined in each section. Packaging design was out of scope for this project.
*Any site imagery seen are screenshots used solely for context and serve as a framework for developing brand appropriate project assets*
Categories
Project Note: Vegetables can provide more complexity and depth of understanding especially if larger scale is leveraged to enable younger kids to explore the anatomy of the different vegetable types. The detail and number of components for each concept was strategically minimized for accessibility to younger age groups. Fruits are a logical next step or grouping but the scope of this concept was limited to vegetables.
LEGO® VEGETABLE TOYS AND KITS
Straight from your toddler’s first farm or garden, these are a fun way to create endless combinations while learning about food.
Seeds
Leafy Greens
Bulbs
Fruits
Flowers
Stems
Project Note: Seeds, bulbs and fruit vegetable types offer a variety of color and numerous opportunities to explore connections and assemblies. Leafy greens, flowers and stem vegetables start to blend into each other based on similar colorways and physical traits. It might be more effective to group them as a general ‘Greens’ group of toys.
Vegetable Baskets
What a great way to introduce your toddler to all the veggies go into making some of the family favorites! Now they can play along and discover how different types of preparation can transform the vegetable based on the dish.
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My First Salad
Cherry Tomatoes | Onion Rings | Cucumber | Leafy Greens
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Guacamole Expert Kit
Avocado | Tomatoes Chopped | Onion Chopped | Garlic | Cilantro
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Pizza Toppings
Olives | Peppers | Tomatoes Sliced | Mushrooms
Project Note: These examples show the opportunity for diversity even among the same vegetable. Tomato can be expanded to Cherry Tomato, Chopped or Sliced variations. The more baskets you collect the wider your recipe collection and the more kids can experiment!
PROCESS
Research started with examining current LEGO® brands and licenses to identify opportunities for expansion. My passion for learning and interests in cooking converged where I found the role of vegetables as accessories for other play sets. The DUPLO® Farmers Market and LEGO® CITY Food Accessories both offer vegetables as single pieces to enhance the play scene. I decided to take vegetables to another level.
After deciding on a category, I wanted to develop a clear identity for the line that would help keep the focus of the project and drive the expression. I started developing the logo in parallel with initial concepts for toys and play sets.
Logo analysis to develop guidelines for the concept to ensure cohesion with the existing LEGO® lineup. Color, typeface, kerning, ligatures and embellishments were examined.
Word association was used to select a word mark that was unique enough to convey the message of unprocessed produce with a whimsical twist. This was followed by quick iterative development before going into digital refinement of color and detail.
Final concept shows the appropriate level of detail and is grounded without a dark, heavy border. The stylized vegetable silhouettes communicate the concept and the soft typeface is approachable. The carrot stem further ties the logo back to the LEGO® family.
Rapid ideation to select vegetables (and fruits initially) that would benefit from different connections and assembly methods.
Physical exploration using existing brick shapes and connections before refining designs and going into CAD
Next steps are to develop and prototype more custom components like avocado, onion and garlic for guacamole kit.
