Designing Gratitude: How 63 Visual Brings Brand Design to Life Through Custom Holiday Packaging

At 63 Visual, we believe in the power of thoughtful design — not just in logos, websites, or brand guidelines, but in the small, tangible details that create lasting impressions.

Every year, we take the opportunity to express our gratitude to clients and collaborators through a unique, custom-designed holiday gift package. It’s more than just a box of goodies—it’s a showcase of our approach to brand development, creative packaging, and physical brand experiences.

Huge thanks to M.C. Pressure who did a killer job on the insert letterpress printing and offered some game saving recommendations for the paper on-press!

The Holiday Gift as a Brand Experience

Most of our work at 63 Visual centers around strategic brand design: we help companies shape their identity through visual storytelling, typography, color, and custom design systems. But branding doesn’t stop at digital assets—it lives in every touchpoint, including the physical items that a customer (or client) holds in their hands.

This is especially true for client gifting. Our annual holiday package is not only a way to say “thank you” — it’s a demonstration of craftsmanship, creativity, and the kind of hands-on care that defines our work.

For 2024, our curated holiday package included:

• A custom can koozie

• A heavy-duty bottle opener

• A sleek branded pen

• A high-quality vinyl sticker

• A limited-edition letterpress coaster insert

While each item had its own unique role, together they created a cohesive, elevated brand experience — the kind we aim to deliver for every one of our clients.

Designing the Package: Cohesion Through Brand Identity

The success of any graphic design or print design project lies in consistency and intention. With the holiday package, we approached it just like we would any brand identity system: start with the message, then craft the visuals to reinforce it. Each item in the gift set was designed in-house, using our own brand color palette, typography, and iconography. The goal was to strike the right balance between professional and playful — something useful and memorable that also reflected our personality as a design studio.

The Koozie & Bottle Opener

These pieces were both functional and fun. The koozie featured a clean typographic design and a subtle nod to the 63 Visual monogram, while the bottle opener was built for longevity—heavy in the hand, with our wordmark laser-engraved for permanence. In terms of branded merchandise design, these items demonstrate how useful swag can also be on-brand and high-quality.

The Pen & Sticker

Everyone loves a good pen—and ours had just the right feel and flow for everyday use, paired with a classic black-and-white sticker that could live on laptops, water bottles, or notebooks. These small items often get overlooked in promotional design, but when done right, they reinforce a brand’s attention to detail.

The Letterpress Coaster Insert

The true standout of the package was the letterpress coaster — a beautifully printed, tactile piece that served as both keepsake and message carrier. Designed by our team and printed by the talented folks at M.C. Pressure, this coaster brought the entire gift together. Not only was it visually striking, but the letterpress printing process gave it a texture and weight that can’t be replicated digitally. It reminded us — and hopefully our recipients — why print is still such a powerful medium in the age of pixels.

Collaborating with Experts in Print Production

One of the biggest lessons in design is knowing when to partner with specialists. While we handled the creative concept and layout of the coaster, we brought in M.C. Pressure for the production. Their expertise in letterpress printing ensured flawless execution — and they even offered some clutch on-press suggestions about paper stock that elevated the final result. This is something we often recommend to our clients: whether it’s packaging design, signage, or specialty print production, the best outcomes come from collaborative relationships between brand designers and expert craftspeople.

Behind the Scenes: Assembling 200 Custom Packages

Designing the package was just one half of the process. The other half was the hands-on effort that went into assembly and distribution. That work was led by our own Jana Carter, Operations Manager at 63 Visual, who single-handedly assembled every one of the 200 gift boxes. Jana also took the initiative to hand-deliver nearly 50 of the packages to local clients across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida — a personal touch that aligns with our relationship-driven approach to design. For the remaining 150+ packages, she tackled the logistical gauntlet of holiday shipping and post office chaos to ensure every gift made it out on time.

Why Custom Packaging Still Matters in Branding

In the digital age, it’s easy to overlook the value of physical print. But custom packaging remains one of the most memorable and high-impact ways to reinforce your brand identity. Here’s why:

• Tactile Engagement: People remember what they can touch, hold, and feel. A well-crafted package sticks in the mind long after a website visit fades.

• Brand Recall: Physical items on a desk or in a kitchen (like a koozie or coaster) become everyday reminders of your brand.

• Emotional Connection: Thoughtful gifts show you care — and in business, that kind of emotional intelligence sets you apart.

• Differentiation: In a sea of email greetings and digital cards, a physical package stands out as unique and thoughtful.

At 63 Visual, we’ve built our reputation by helping brands tap into that kind of distinction — not just with logos or color palettes, but with complete brand systems that extend into real-world interactions.

What This Says About 63 Visual

Our holiday package isn’t just a seasonal gesture. It’s a reflection of how we work year-round:

• We sweat the details, whether it’s kerning a logotype or choosing the right paper stock for a coaster.

• We collaborate with experts, like M.C. Pressure, to ensure top-tier execution in every medium.

• We treat clients like partners, not projects — putting in the same care, craft, and commitment no matter the size of the job.

Whether it’s a full-scale rebranding, a custom website design, or a limited-run print campaign, we approach every challenge with creativity, professionalism, and the goal of making something memorable.

Let’s Build Something Together

If you’re looking for a creative partner who understands the big picture of brand strategy but isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty with the fine details — whether that’s in a Figma file or a stack of hand-assembled gift boxes — we’d love to hear from you.

At 63 Visual, we’re here to help businesses design with purpose, create with clarity, and connect with their audience through intentional, standout design — on screen and in print.

See the original post over at our Instagram account.