Toy Story
Discover how I helped Buzz to fly off the shelves, a Sheriff’s popularity to “reach for the sky” and a Yodelin’ Cowgirl to gallop into history with “grit and grace”.
Working with the official global toy licensee for the legendary Toy Story franchise was particularly exciting. The instantly recognizable toys created enticing opportunities for eye-catching merchandising and package design challenges due to their unusual shapes, sizes, cubes, and personalities. The entire range of toys – and their packaging – was met with commercial success and critical acclaim.
Taking package design to infinity and beyond: Buzz's "Rocket Ship"
This unconventional packaging design was fascinating to conceive and produce. I accepted the demanding brief to create Buzz’s spaceship in a shelf-ready retail display. After many structural and graphical iterations, the final design proved to be immensely popular with consumers, generating significant sales for Disney/Pixar.
Buzz Lightyear Spaceship Package Development
Fun Fact
This Buzz Lightyear toy spent 15 months aboard the International Space Station and is now on display in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
Hitting the Bullseye: Woody and Jessie’s talking figures
Giving a shelf life to two of the most iconic cowpersons on the planet was no easy task. Woody’s Roundup Gang talking figures had a lot to say, so they couldn’t be just boxed up and kept quiet. Luckily, iPopell was there to save the day!
Woody the Sheriff and Jessie the Yodelin’ Cowgirl deluxe film replicas sat in their consistent saloon backdrop packaging. It delivered visual impact and gave parents and kids the chance to pull the string and hear dozens of popular sayings. The box solution protected the toys from many hands on the outside and moving parts on the inside.
Fun Fact
The Jessie toy from this collection was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 2019. You can watch her "acceptance speech" below.