Viewmaster
Reinvigorate and reimagine a vintage toy into a profitable product.
Project Analysis
Problem
Introduced to the world in 1939, how do we have the Viewmaster with its vast history stand a chance in today's modern times? With the creation and easy access of photos, videos, iphones, ipads, ect, how do we have the Viewmaster stand out?
Design Solution
Originally, the Viewmaster was to be an alternative to the postcard but eventually became a kid's toy. I want to go back on what it was originally meant to be, a post card replacer. My hypothesis is that if we change the target audience from kids to adults that love nostalgia and travel, we'll be able to have a profitable product
Target Users
Gen X
Millennials
Gen Z
Tourists
Vintage-Lovers
Deliverables
Illustrated mockups, commercial storyboard, different advertisements ideas.
Research/History
History
The Viewmaster was created as an attempt to improve the stereoscope technology. Stereoscopes back in the 1920's were large and clunky, having each image being swapped out individually. Harold Graves (Mayer and Sawyer's company president) met photography William Gruber while vacationing, and inquired about Gruber's contraption of two cameras taped together. Gruber explained that he was attempting to find a new way to create stereograph images and invented a reel that had multiple stereograph images. Later, Gruber and Graves along with 3 other men formed a partnership and formed what we now know as the Viewmaster, introducing the device in 1939 at the World's Fair.
The Viewmaster was originally set to be the postcard replacer, early subjects being mainly tourist destinations. However, as the company expanded, eventually inquiring True Vue, they obtained licenses for Disney, Hanna Barbera, Snoopy, Captain America, ect. During the 1950's-70's, the Viewmaster became one of the most popular childrens toys, their popularity only waning due to gaming devices being flooded into the market.
The most recent Viewmaster was a collaboration in 2015 between Google and Mattel in order to create the View-Master VR to catch up with the competition. However, all the editions were discontinued in November 2019.
Target Market
Another name for Gen Z and late Millennials is the nostalgia generation. This is due to the fact that these two generations grew up during the technology boom, where they learned how to adapt as mew technology emerged, get commercialized, and die all within their childhood. But because of such fast technological boom, the nostalgic generation found an intrigue and fondness of analogue items such as cassette tapes, record players, and books despite those items being easily replaced by a phone. It connects them to a raw, simpler, more authentic time rather than today's instant gratification age.
Sketches
Final Product
View Master Ad (Commercial Storyboard)
An emphasis of the beauty of analogue that you don't get with digital. The sound. Through this commercial, we wanted it to be silent, with the only sound being the sound of shuffling and the click of the Viewmaster.
Back with the Old Sleeves
During my research, I discovered what the old reel sleeves looked like. It seems like mini record sleeves. I wanted to reuse how they used to look to add onto the vintage feel. On the front is a simple illustration of the city they bought it from, and the back gives the buyer a bit of information of the city.
Advertisements
I wanted the advertisements to be simple. A twitter post, a postcard sent, in travel magazines. I want to advertise it to travelers or for people that just need a break.