Crack a Smile

Launched this Summer, Heyday is a new range of tech accessories and electronics designed by and available exclusively at Target. It is the latest in Target’s big-time investment in developing new, exclusive, in-house brands (like ones previously featured on Brand New: Modern by Dwell and A New Day). Heyday offers over 150 products, in eye-catching colors, that include cell phone cases, headphones, speakers, and all kinds of cables and connectors. The new identity and packaging for Heyday has been designed by New York, NY- and San Francisco, CA-based Collins.

Target’s Creative Team invited COLLINS to develop the brand strategy, identity, and design program. Our goal was to expand Target’s relationship with their guests through new, high-quality products that addressed the need for novelty, simplicity, and joy.

Simple design and packaging framing the product’s vibrant colors, lively form, and inventive details were the answer. We wanted to help Target’s guests find more delight in the everyday products that connect them with friends and family. To help do that we…

Collins project page

Based on what looks like Lineto’s Brown, the new logo might not be a surprise to anyone, building on the avalanche of geometric sans wordmarks but it does offer one satisfying twist on the minimalist approach by using the same glyph for the “h” as the “y”s — taking the minimalism to an extreme but also cleverly maintaining all the characters in the logo with a round structure (whereas normally a “y” would introduce an angled character). Given the simplicity of the products, the logo could not have upstaged them in any way and a more peculiar icon emerged in the process anyway…

… We brought to life a new signature brand character, Heyday, and his now trademarked smile by anthropomorphizing an otherwise overlooked hang tab, giving the brand a lighthearted wink…

Collins project page

In the case of Heyday, all products are displayed hanging from a plastic tab on rods in a peg board (as opposed to sitting on shelves) and Collins has amusingly transformed the utilitarian device into the packaging’s most notable, memorable, and distinctive design element: a funky, weird, hang tab that smiles at you from every product. I can imagine this increased the production cost of the packaging so props to Target for taking the challenge on to produce these or, maybe at their scale, it doesn’t make a difference to their bottom line — still, it’s a great feature that sort of rewards physical shopping at a brick and mortar store.

… Created a playful packaging program that makes it easy for consumers to navigate and select their favorite products and options.

Collins project page

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The packaging is lovely and minimal in warm gray and white boxes accentuated by the logo in yellow. At first I wasn’t too keen on the color selection but based on the colors of the products it’s the one color that wasn’t in their inventory and the one color that stands out against the products and the gray backs. The typography throughout is fine, if perhaps a little too undesigned, especially with everything set in lowercase, it’s almost as if someone forgot to format it.

… Developed a new language of over 100 helpful iconographic symbols and icons to quickly communicate the benefits and features of each product.

Collins project page

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Lovely set of non-gratuitous icons!

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Overall, this is a great system that feels youthful and contemporary while being perfectly in tune with Target’s approach to exclusive brands that strike a solid balance of being attractive, covetable, and affordable.