CANDY CON

We collaborated to develop and launch CANDY CON, a bold new move to disrupt the customized controller category.

The Challenge

GameStop’s team approached us with an idea to create its own range of gaming accessories: high-quality products at achievable price points, tapping into the profitable millennial and Gen Z market.

To cut through the noise in the customized controller category (a space that’s already crowded with major players, like Xbox and Playstation) this idea needed to be more than a private label. It needed to be an own brand.

The Bright Idea and the Brilliant Execution

Leveraging market research & customer insight, we uncovered a core brand truth – “for the fun of it” – that could resonate with a growing community of social gamers.

From here, we built out the CANDY CON brand world. Designing a visual identity inspired by the endless excitement and choice of pick ‘n’ mix candy.

With swappable thumbsticks, d-pads, and custom faces in a rainbow of colors

Capturing a nostalgia-inducing, spontaneous spirit that invites customers to rediscover their sense of play.

The Result – Meaningful Change

CANDY CON was an instant hit, smashing every sales metric, and became the most successful new controller launch ever at GameStop, based on sales units and sales $.  The brand launch caused a major buzz online. 100,000 + comments & reviews across social media saw stock sell out across the US & Canada, and this success was reflected in numerous industry publications, such as the World Brand Design Society, where 92.5% of readers rated CANDY CON as excellent.