What makes a minion a Minion™️?
Illumination is the animation powerhouse behind Despicable Me and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Through promoting Minions, the world’s most successful animated franchise, I helped translate joy from the movie screen into tangible, consumer-centric experiences. My work included trend research, developing style guides for global IP applications, and creating custom graphics, branding, and mockups for international product launches.
Role: Graphic Design Intern, Consumer Packaged Goods
Skills: Graphic Design, Packaging Design, Brand Identity, Illustration
Client/Collaborators: Marketing/CPG Teams, Universal Pictures
Period: Summer 2021
Grab a 🍌 and check out some project highlights:
Minion Popup Cafe
︎ Packaging design ︎ International stakeholder collaboration
I was tasked with designing a candy tin (with a removable magnet component) for a seasonal pop-up experience, Minion Summer Cafe. Exclusive to PARCO, a popular department store chain, the tin was part of a collection of limited merchandise sold in 3 locations across Japan: Tokyo, Osaka, and Aichi. See all products here︎︎︎
Illumination Intern Insights
︎ Brand identity ︎ Social media campaign ︎ Logo design ︎ Individual project
The pandemic called for a refreshed LinkedIn presence to recruit early talent for Illumination. Much like Illumination’s films, this bespoke sub-brand reflects a familiar touch of playfulness and integrates seamlessly in professional contexts.
Minions at the Arcade
︎ Style Guide ︎ Brand Systems ︎ Mockups
Arcade Champs is now an official Minions: The Rise of Gru style guide that builds upon a scene at the arcade where young Gru and his squad of Minions
the Minions’ and young Gru’s trip to the arcade and
exploring how Minions show off their arcade skills, inspired by old school 80s arcade cabinet art. I worked alongside Creative Director David Swift to create custom artwork and mockups. My patterns made it to the final style guide!
Reflections
This internship experience was an amazing introduction to the entertainment industry and its diverse marketing potential. Alongside honing my technical design skills through close collaboration with creative directors, I gained a deeper understanding of the importance of following and establishing brand standards. I also learned the critical value of creating proof-of-concepts to communicate design ideas effectively with team members.
One invaluable lesson I’ll carry forward is to not lose sight of what makes a client or character unique. There were several moments where I sacrificed a "good" design direction to preserve the integrity of character identities, a decision that ultimately strengthened the work. Moving forward, I feel more confident making design trade-offs that are grounded in the bigger picture.
A huge thank you to all the lovely, talented, and inspiring people that made my summer experience unforgettable! Special thanks to Creative Directors Thai Dao and David Swift for their generous support. 💛
One invaluable lesson I’ll carry forward is to not lose sight of what makes a client or character unique. There were several moments where I sacrificed a "good" design direction to preserve the integrity of character identities, a decision that ultimately strengthened the work. Moving forward, I feel more confident making design trade-offs that are grounded in the bigger picture.
A huge thank you to all the lovely, talented, and inspiring people that made my summer experience unforgettable! Special thanks to Creative Directors Thai Dao and David Swift for their generous support. 💛
Thanks for reading!