OAKTALE / VISUAL SYSTEM
project overview
OAKTALE IS A WOODEN-TOY BRAND CREATED WITH A DESIGN-FIRST MINDSET AND DEVELOPED IN PARALLEL WITH THE TOYS THEMSELVES. FROM THE EARLIEST STAGE, THE GOAL WAS CLEAR: TO BUILD OBJECTS THAT ENGAGE BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS — EQUALLY, GENUINELY, AND ON DIFFERENT LEVELS. THE TOYS ARE SIMPLE ENOUGH TO INVITE PLAY, YET SCULPTURAL ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE HOME AS DESIGN PIECES. MY WORK COVERED IDENTITY, COLOR DIRECTION, VISUAL LANGUAGE, PACKAGING, PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL PRESENCE — AND PARTICIPATION IN EARLY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ALONGSIDE TWO TOY DESIGNERS. THE FOUNDERS WERE ACTIVELY INVOLVED, SHAPING THE BRAND TOGETHER WITH US, MAKING OAKTALE A DEEPLY COLLABORATIVE PROCESS ROOTED IN CRAFT AND EMOTIONAL DESIGN.
Concept & Execution
DESIGNING OAKTALE BECAME ONE OF THOSE RARE PROJECTS WHERE IDENTITY AND PRODUCT EVOLVE TOGETHER, SHAPING EACH OTHER IN REAL TIME. WE STARTED WITH THE MOST FRAGILE SEED — “WOODEN TOYS” — AND SLOWLY EXPANDED IT INTO A FULL VISUAL UNIVERSE BUILT FROM SCRATCH. IT TOOK MONTHS OF EXPLORATION, ITERATION AND RETHINKING, EACH STAGE REVEALING A NEW LAYER OF POSSIBILITY.
THE SCOPE WAS ENORMOUS: TOY FORM STUDIES, COLOR PALETTES, FINISHES, GRAPHIC LANGUAGE, PACKAGING SYSTEMS, DIAGRAMS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE ENTIRE DIGITAL VOICE. I WAS INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING — FROM CHOOSING THE EXACT WARMTH OF A PAINT TONE TO DEFINING HOW A TECHNICAL DRAWING SHOULD FEEL. THE RESULT IS A SYSTEM WITH NO ACCIDENTAL PARTS, WHERE EVERY DETAIL SPEAKS THE SAME DESIGN LANGUAGE.
AND PERHAPS THE MOST FASCINATING CHALLENGE WAS PUSHING THE BRAND INTO A MORE AVANT-GARDE SPACE. WE HAD TO IMAGINE HOW AN OBJECT COULD BE BOTH A CHILD’S PLAY EXPERIENCE AND AN AESTHETIC PLEASURE FOR AN ADULT. THAT DUALITY — PLAYFUL YET REFINED — BECAME THE SOUL OF OAKTALE, AND THE REASON DESIGNING IT FELT SO ALIVE.
Conclusion
THE CORE AMBITION BEHIND OAKTALE IS SIMPLE BUT RADICAL: TO RETHINK WHAT A TOY CAN BE. WE'VE MADE OBJECTS THAT CHILDREN GENUINELY ENJOY, BUT THAT ADULTS DON’T WANT TO HIDE.
BY DEVELOPING THE TOYS AND THE IDENTITY TOGETHER, WE BUILT A BRAND WHERE FORM, COLOR, MATERIALS AND VISUALS SPEAK ONE LANGUAGE, CREATING A SHARED WORLD FOR BOTH GENERATIONS. THIS DUALITY SOLVED A REAL GAP: FAMILIES WANTING PRODUCTS THAT NURTURE IMAGINATION WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON AESTHETICS.
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