Hasbro

TF Gen1: 1984 Arcade
Style Guide

Hasbro engaged our team to develop design elements for the Transformers Gen1: 1984 Arcade licensing program, which pays homage to the year that the original Transformers were born through the lens of a video game arcade from that time period.

With the licensing program targeting boys and their dads through its nostalgic appeal, we were inspired by the design of arcade video games from the mid-80s, from the bold graphics and title treatments on the outside of the cabinets to the bright, 8-bit graphics used in the games themselves. The color palette for the artwork taking visual cues from the arcade game cabinets leverages muted primary and secondary colors with a layer of textural aging to give it an authentic retro appeal. The color palette for the artwork inspired by in-game graphics juxtaposes vibrant hues against a background of stark black.

Our design solutions for the licensing program feature pixelated fonts, raceway-styled striping and classic artwork of the classic Gen1 Transformers characters and other visual assets. Taking insights from research provided by Hasbro, we created compositions, badges and patterns based on a fabricated Transformers arcade video game. Scenes were created to convey the classic battle between the Autobots and Decepticons as well as Optimus Prime’s and Bumblebee’s vehicle and robot modes, with backgrounds of space, stylized bursts and explosions. Familiar on-screen graphics and game-related terminology were infused into our designs as a way to trigger a sense of nostalgia and connect with dads on an emotional level.

TF Gen 1: 1984 Arcade Style Guide Design - ID 2

TF Gen 1: 1984 Arcade Style Guide Design - ID 3

TF Gen 1: 1984 Arcade Style Guide Design - ID 4

TF Gen 1: 1984 Arcade Style Guide Design - ID 5

TF Gen 1: 1984 Arcade Style Guide Design - ID 6

TF Gen 1: 1984 Arcade Style Guide Design - ID 7

Transformers - Bumblebee Target Exclusive Style Guide - Portfolio

Hasbro

Bumblebee
Target Exclusive
Style Guide

Transformers Classic Style Guide - Portfolio

Hasbro

Transformers Classic
Style Guide

Bumblebee Movie Style Guide - Portfolio

Hasbro

Bumblebee Movie
Style Guide

Transformers Dark of the Moon Style Guide Design - Portfolio

Hasbro

Transformers
Dark of the Moon
Style Guide

“Design Force has been one of our “go-to” design resources for the better part of the last two decades. Whether they’re helping us refresh the package design for our evergreen brands, or establishing a design system for a completely new brand, they never disappoint! Their expertise in developing a cohesive packaging look that works seamlessly across product segments and their innovative approach to structure design make them a valuable asset to the Spin Master creative team.”
Kris Jackson
Senior Director, Visual Branding, Toronto, Spin Master Ltd.

“It was amazing to work with the Design Force team on our most recent licensing style guide project. They provided us with great design solutions while accommodating our aggressive timelines. They were extremely patient with all of our feedback and the project was a success for the brand and for our company. We’re glad to have partnered with Design Force.”
Sandra Jo
Senior Manager, Licensing Product Development, Sega of America, Inc.

“We’re excited about what Design Force created for the WAL! We were blown away by how well the new logo captures the essence of our league. The design is classic and bold, with just enough attitude to stand apart from every other league out there. Their hard work gave us a solid visual base to build upon as the WAL continues to grow and dominate the sport of arm-wrestling!”
Steve Kaplan
President & Commissioner, World Armwrestling League

“Look at their work, read the testimonials, follow Ted's thinking. Try to find someone better. I dare you. Having spent more than 30 years in the design field, including 24 years at Hasbro in creative roles ranging from package designer to Vice President of Global Creative in Licensing, I've worked with countless designers and design agencies. To say that Design Force “gets it” is an understatement. Your design budget simply cannot be better or more wisely spent.”
Michael Provost
VP Global Licensing, Kent International

“While at Toys 'R' Us, I worked with Ted and the Design Force team on the brand repositioning, brand identity and package design refresh, and style guide development for one of our biggest private label brands. Many demographic and cultural factors were taken into account during the pre-design process. Under Ted’s direction, his team employed the perfect balance of design and marketing savvy to execute effectively against our global brand strategy.”
Arline Wall
Former Global Brand Director, Toys "R" Us

“I’ve known Ted for as long as I’ve been with Marvel, and have relied on Design Force as a valued design partner on countless high-profile packaging and style guide design initiatives over the years. Their understanding of the Marvel Universe combined with their industry expertise, research and design approach, and passion for what they do make every project a success. And, they’re an absolute pleasure to work with!”
Chris Fondacaro
EVP Global Brand & Franchise Planning/Creative Services, Marvel Entertainment

“The Design Force team truly established a powerful and consistent retail presence for the Thunderbirds Are Go brand. They created a great look for our animated series’ packaging program, with guidelines that are intuitive and easy for our licensee partners to follow. We love how perfectly the design extends across the packaging for Vivid Toys’ entire line of products.”
Sarah Baines
VP Franchise Marketing for Thunderbirds Are Go, ITV Studios

“We decided to work with the Design Force team on the consumer product style guide and packaging program for The Nut Job 2 because of the world-class work they do for the global brand leaders in the entertainment industry. And they far exceeded our expectations! They perfectly captured the essence and attitude of the film and provided us with a powerful tool for our licensee partners.”
Elena Lee
Assistant Manager, International Business, Redrover Co., Ltd.

Got a project to discuss?

If you want to engage the Design Force team and put more than three decades of expertise to work for your brand...