Load It. Peel It. Seal It. Preserve It.
Ultra PRO’s revolutionary CardPreserver™ protective holders provide trading card security and long-term storage with a built-in, 2-in-1 benefit.
The First of its Kind
How do you introduce a new product to an established audience in the collectibles market? With the space already saturated with similar offerings, it's rare for an innovation in card protection to challenge the status quo.
Additionally, there is a growing need for a more modern take to product execution. An up-and-coming + younger generation of collectors and fans undoubtedly resonate more with a contemporary aesthetic, both in the product itself and its marketing.
A More Premium Look
The CardPreserver packaging represents a creative leap for the Ultra PRO brand. Its minimalistic approach highlights the product as the main focus, with a prominent feature on the front enhanced by UV printing. The sleek matte black box, paired with modern iconography, aligns with the brand's updated style guide, pushing its visual identity forward.
(There's a fun "easter egg" message in the box too, for added personality!)
Building the Story
We have a unique task. How do you build a brand story for a new product that (A) is attempting to disrupt the market and (B) is in it's bare-bones state, a clear piece of plastic?
The first step - a marketing campaign that integrates a "how-to" video. During product testing, because CardPreserver is unlike anything else on the market, we found that many consumers were unsure how to use it. The "Load It. Peel It. Seal It. Preserver It." campaign kills two birds with one stone. We are able to tie in the product's identity with its usage, and keep the tone of the launch as hip, modern ... and catchy!
The second - create custom sports cards that merge its identity with the greater Ultra PRO brand, playing off the company's rich history in sports card protection. Designing several characters like Benny "The Slam" Dunkinstein, we are able to merge CardPreserver with a greater product family, adding humor and human connection to a product needing identity.
Exceeding Expectations
CardPreserver has successfully integrated well into the collectible sports industry, a feat that is rare in a space so established and traditional.
The creative decisions made to market the product have made a perfect storm - one that connects Ultra PRO to the a newer, younger audience of sports fans while preserving (pun intended) its core consumer base.
Shoutouts: Nolan Englund (Video) • Ben Lewis / Ancient Burd (Music) • Ken Pilapil, Xavier Russell (Design) • Frank Whittaker (Product Management)