WOODEN
DIGIT

Toy Design & Manufacturing

Filed Under: Strategy, Logistics, Packaging, Fabrication, Character Design

Payroll software company Wagepoint asked me to conceptualize and execute on a special gift for their long-term customers.

Having created their mascot in 2012, I wanted to create something handmade and unique.

Each of these 50 stackable collectibles were cut, sanded, painted, assembled, labeled, and numbered by Jeff Guerra and myself. We then packed and shipped in custom eco conscious packaging across the globe.

CLIENT
Wagepoint

WITH
Jeff Guerra

A collection of identical plastic toys on a table with red and white colors, each featuring a stylized face with large eyes. The background includes potted plants and framed artworks on the wall.

50 handmade toys from concept to shipment.

A collectible with as much attention to detail as the software; Wagepoint wanted to wow their valued customers and we created the solution.

Collection of robot figurines with red and white design on a table, next to artistic sketches of robots on a textured surface, with plants and framed art in the background.
Stack of cardboard boxes with a small toy on top next to various logos and labels, including "Fragile Thank You," "Wagepoint Hero 2022," and "Handle with Care."

We’ve developed a few guiding principals to company gifts; Usability, emotion, and art.

We want to live in the hearts of customers subconsciously, where they’ll connect memories of joy to the brand. Something that shows off too much is tacky, and something that’s too subtle goes in a landfill.

We started with a wooden artist print for testing purposes. The remaining 50 were all painted as the brand/mascots colors.

Abstract wooden figure with large eyes, surrounded by colorful geometric shapes on a reflective surface.

The recipients were bookkeepers and accountants, often with young family members.

We wanted to create something that blurred the lines of toy, collectible, and award that anyone could enjoy.

Person holding a wooden toy with googly eyes, indoor plants in the background.

Process Video

This project started with a rough sketch on a scrap piece of plywood while wondering what we may be able to make that would be a special gift for the client’s customers.

A tight system of cutting sanding and painting allowed us to make 50 assembled figures in about a week.

Image depicting a diagram and model of a wooden robot toy with various labeled parts including head, eyes, chest, body, antenna, and ball. Colors used are tope, orange, black, and gray. Includes measurements in inches and a badge labeled 'Wagepoint Hero 2022.'
Abstract sculpture with geometric shapes and contrasting colors.

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Person with purple hair and mustache wearing a black shirt, standing in front of a minimalist background with abstract drawings of palm trees and geometric shapes.
Abstract illustration with orange star, green scribble, and white swirl

MORE WORK

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MORE WORK ✱

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Animated character with a graduation cap and large eyes on a white background.
Illustration of a cartoon character standing with a keyboard and pipes, in front of a city street scene with buildings and trees in the background.