50th ANNIVERSARY OF PLAYMATE
BRIEF
Modernize the 50-year-old Igloo Playmate with diverse colorways, maintaining its historical charm while adding a modern twist.
SOLUTION
Dream big, construct an infinite stack of coolers in every conceivable color, embellish with a balloons for a festive touch. Discover and interview Paul Specht, the original mastermind, and craft a playful and cheeky "Playmate Calendar" featuring the beloved mascot, Chilly.
SERVICES & SUPPORT
Branding , Campaigns, Creative Direction, Illustration, Messaging, Strategy
Creative Direction: Garry Booth, Ben Soto
Graphic Design: Travis Naman, Ashley Beasley
Illustration: Chris Savino
Color: Garry Booth, Lauren Chapluk
Photo / Video: Jose Prado, Jake Pollgreen
Producer / Stylist: Macie Day
Half a Century of Chilly
Igloo's beloved 'Little Rojo Amigo,' Chilly, marked half a century of cool companionship. To honor the milestone, our stylist Macie Day baked a miniature and marvelous birthday cake, complemented by a tiny furniture set. A friendly companion and twikling candles added to the festivity. The result was a heartwarming tribute to Chilly's long-standing legacy.
A Legacy of Cool
As the Playmate celebrated its 50th anniversary, we embarked on a journey to honor its legendary status. We connected with Paul Specht, the original designer, and Fred Schmidt, who cut his teeth on the 'Little Playmate' project. By digging deep into the archives, we aimed to inspire a new generation with the Playmate's storied past. Guided by the wisdom that "what got us here won't get us there," we looked to the future, ready to redefine cool.
Historical Photos from the Igloo Coolers Archive
A Colorful Tribute
We crafted visuals centered around a bold new collection. Despite many variations over the years, the side-button cooler is the true original. Drawing from Paul Specht's description of it as "geometrically challenging", we chose to showcase it in the most striking way possible - a vibrant wall of color.
GIF-ing Around
Our love for motion knows no bounds, and we're always looking for ways to inject fun into our projects. When we created a GIF of playmates stacking "just in case", it was a testament to our crew's dedication to exceeding expectations and consistently overdelivering.
Goldsmith Yamasaki Specht, Inc.
With some serious detective skills, Igloo's VP of Creative, Ben Soto, managed to track down Paul Specht, the creative genius behind the Playmate. Lauded as a "One Man Renaissance" by the Chicago Tribune, Specht's designs have left an indelible mark on the world of industrial design. His mission was to design something that no other cooler company could duplicate, and he definitely hit the mark.
THE PLAYMATE CALENDAR
This year’s Playmate Calendar was more than just a project; it was a testament to our commitment to creativity and social responsibility. Teaming up with renowned artist Chris Savino and the talented Lauren Chapluck, we created a unique Chilly for each month that brought smiles and sparked conversations. This endeavor also marked a milestone as Chilly stepped into an illustrated world for the first time. The true beauty of this project lay in its purpose - every penny of profits raised through the calendar went towards supporting breast cancer research.
