Back in 2009, Jody and I had the great honor of being asked by Pixar and Disney Consumer Products to help create special packaging for the new Toy Story Definitive toy line, the most film-accurate replicas of the characters ever produced. At the time, Jody had just designed the Pixar Play Parade for Disney's California Adventure, and "Toy Story 3" was still in production.
Some of the characters, like Woody, Jessie and Buzz, already had packaging seen in the animated films, but there were side panels and box backs not visible on screen, that needed to be fleshed out. Other toys, such as the Pizza Planet Aliens and a mysterious new character named Lots-O-Huggin' Bear, required all new packaging from scratch.
Jody and I based all our digital illustrations on rough pencil concepts by Pixar merch designer Ben Butcher. Some of the packaging, such as this shipping crate for Rex - complete with volcano, went through a zillion variations before everyone was happy. John Lasseter talks about Rex - and his packaging!
RC, the remote controlled race car, is supposed to be a toy from the 1980s, so his packaging reflects the graphic style and "awesome features" of the period. 
John and RC!
Every box has a "Try Me" button incorporated into its design, and getting this feature in the correct spot, without having the actual toy in front of us, was a challenge.
The series, except for Hamm, has been out for some time now. We think all the "definitive" toys, made by Thinkway, turned out super amazing, and it was a exciting for us to contribute something cool and lasting to the Toy Story milieu!
These are absolutely amazing. So inspiring and as always wonderfully designed!
ReplyDeleteDitto Patrick! What fabulous work. I like the thought process you outlined as you made your decisions of what sort of look to go with. Very creative. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Leaping Lamp
Very cool that John Lasseter actually mentions the great packaging in each video clip, he obviously was excited to be able to show viewers your great work.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see some Toy Story toys that actually look like the toys from the movie! I've seen some great Woody dolls, but it always bothered me that he always has some smirk on his face while in the movie he has a neutral expression when in 'play mode'. (I still hope someday they'll make one with the exact same face, but I shouldn't complain)
ReplyDeleteGreat job on these packagings, the RC car one is my favorite!
Wonderful, wonderful packaging! Reminds me of the great packaging that would often accompany Spumco products (George Liquor dolls, etc). John Lasseter though? Eh, he may very well be a totally great person, but he always comes off as such a Mr. Know-It-All. Lol
ReplyDeleteThe boxes are Made from durable, safe materials, organize, and showcase children’s products in an attractive way. Toys Boxes are designed to protect toys secure during storage and transport. Bright colors, playful graphics, and custom shapes capture attention, strengthen branding, and create excitement for kids and parents alike in retail settings.
ReplyDeleteThis is really cool behind-the-scenes insight into how much thought goes into toy packaging design. What’s interesting is how the packaging itself becomes part of the storytelling. For characters like RC or Hamm, the graphics and structure of the box help communicate the era the toy supposedly came from, which makes the product feel more authentic to the Toy Story world.
ReplyDeleteA lot of modern toy and collectible brands still follow that same philosophy today where packaging is not just protection but also part of the experience. Whether it's vintage-style boxes, window packaging, or flexible pouches, the goal is to make the package visually match the character or brand identity.
Many companies today also experiment with flexible packaging formats because they allow for detailed printing, bold graphics, and durable protection for retail products. For example, brands often use things like customized mylar packaging bags see here for collectible items, toys, and retail merchandise since they provide strong barrier protection while still giving designers a full printable surface for artwork.
Really interesting look at the creative process though. Packaging for characters like Rex, RC, and Hamm clearly required balancing film accuracy with practical manufacturing constraints, and it’s cool to see how much iteration went into getting every detail right.