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Whether or not you are a Pokémon player, the packaging on the Vmax Dragons collection might inspire anyone with an eye for design to buy this set. It is stunningly sophisticated with a hefty dose of eye candy that pulls you in at first sight.

The design team at Pokémon faced the challenge of creating a piece that would showcase the contents – in this case, 2 different versions of the game – in one box. Being that it is a retail item, considerations like fitting on shelf were high on the priority list. This is where the “double-sided” concept was conceived.

To further investigate this idea, the team enlisted the help of CMI Plastics to design the thermoform. Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, then formed to a specific shape. The challenge was to design something that would showcase the elements of both games, while remaining stable inside the outer carton, which would have large, open sides allowing clear visibility of the product. CMI came up with a brilliant design of interlocking thermoform trays. This allowed the box to retain a modest footprint while still displaying all the components through the diecut window to the consumer. The red base tray and dragon scale textures on the thermoform lid were crowing achievements.

Next up, the carton. The design team at Pokémon had been gradually experimenting with uncoated stock in things such as rulebooks, brochures, and other text and cover weight materials. But not really for a box set. When the idea of using an uncoated, deep black folding board was considered, the designer could envision the potential. It would be the perfect backdrop to highlight some of the colorful elements of the game, while adding some drama to the overall look.

The box was printed at Dreamworks Graphic Communications on Neenah Folding Board, Deep Black, Vellum Finish. The image area on the box was first printed with 2 hits of UV white, then UV four color process. The addition of a spot UV pearlescent coating on the dragon scales along with a registered emboss was a way to add pop and dimension! Finally, a hot gold foil stamp was utilized throughout the design to really pull it together.

We think the end result is pretty cool. Almost too beautiful to open!