Shred

A 3.75" collectible action figure inspired by the retro cardback figures of the 80s, with a swampy twist.

Client

Client

Welcome Center

Welcome Center

Type

Type

Industrial Design, 3D, Marketing

Industrial Design, 3D, Marketing

Year

Year

2022

2022

About

About

A fully realized 3.75" retro-inspired action figure. We designed him from scratch — sculpted, modeled, prototyped, revised, packaged, and secured a production agreement with a factory in China. Then we launched a guerrilla marketing campaign that pulled 2.3 million views on TikTok. We needed 600 orders to bring him to life. We didn’t get there. In some ways we failed, but we broke the internet in the process and we had a lot of fun.

A fully realized 3.75" retro-inspired action figure. We designed him from scratch — sculpted, modeled, prototyped, revised, packaged, and secured a production agreement with a factory in China. Then we launched a guerrilla marketing campaign that pulled 2.3 million views on TikTok. We needed 600 orders to bring him to life. We didn’t get there. In some ways we failed, but we broke the internet in the process and we had a lot of fun.

R&D

Our early conceptualization of the project was very name-driven. "Shred" was immediately accessible and easily explained to friends + family. The first thing we needed to tackle was a dualistic study of anatomy - both for the human body and vintage 3.75" action figures. Lucky references were abundant. 3D models were quickly spun up and rough card-back designs followed suit.

prototyping

After landing on a model that we were happy with (tested by in-house resin printing), we started to get more serious about prototyping something that would be manufacturable. We spun up a CMF and worked with a manufacturing partner overseas to help us validate color, card-back printing, and blister pack shape.

Media

With a proof of concept model in hand, we squirmed our way into a production deal with a highly regarded manufacturing partner - the same supplier that produces the notorious and highly collectable Super7 figures. 600 orders is what we needed, so it was time to spin up the most viral marketing campaign that we could manage.

Insta + web

A few million hits via a viral tik tok campaign - orders were flowing in, and we needed to make sure that our official social channels were dialed in. Instagram + our website were our two other hot spots.

Ending

Though not a financial success, and certainly one of my least serious projects - in many ways Shred represents the pinnacle of my creative philosophy. The contrast of highly curated work with a ridiculous premise is one of my favorite things to make & observe. I also especially cherish this project for the collaboration that Daniel and I cultivated during this unique time in life.

Credits

Connor Pendery

Designer

Daniel Cheung

Designer

Credits

Connor Pendery

Designer

Daniel Cheung

Designer

Eran Vautour

Design Support

Quote

Art Gallery is a leading healthcare technology company specializing in advanced solutions and personalized wellness follow-up care. Their innovative approach seamlessly connects patients, health tech wearables, and comprehensive clinical support, establishing VitaNova as a pioneer in this transformative industry.

Noah Jenkins, CEO