Melissa Mathieson x UPS
It’s festive season and what better way to kick things off than a heartwarming project to mark the occassion!
The Martin Agency and UPS brought the festive cheer when they commissioned 3D Artist, Melissa Mathieson to create the 2024 Holiday Express box, which will be available at all UPS stores in the US for everyone’s parcel needs! The Theme for this year’s edition is The Spirit of Giving. As told by Melissa she interpreted this theme as:
“…something that goes beyond monetary value and encompasses the broader ethos of generosity – whether it’s sharing meals, offering time or engaging in heartfelt conversations. During the holiday season, the act of showing love resonates across all traditions.”
As you can see below in Melissa’s character filled winter scenes, she has captured the cosy, warming and loving feeling which should be at the heart of the festive season for everyone. Melissa’s cast of characters are seen enjoying the festivities together and are nestled amongst parcels and packing boxes, giving a nod to UPS and their customers this season. Upon closer inspection each are celebrating in their own way – creating boxes for donation, delivering food, spending time with loved ones or decorating for the season ahead.
Below you can see some of Melissa’s initial concepts sketches, before she moved into 3D along with patterns she created for her characters clothes and even the colour palettes she used throughout the box design.
We absolutely love how this project turned out, Melissa did such a fantastic job realising the festive spirit of giving for UPS. All of which would not have been possible without the direction and support of The Martin Agency and their fantastic team.
It was an immense pleasure to team up with Melissa to create this year’s UPS Express Holiday Box. She was positive, collaborative and genuinely excited about the creative direction which all shines through in her festive and joyful design. The client and the agency are very happy with the final product, and we know it will bring smiles to all who see it. I am looking forward to working with Melissa and Brilliant Artists again soon.
– Vanessa Griggs, Senior Art Producer & Buyer, The Martin Agency
The Holiday Express Box packaging is now available across the US for customers to use for all their festive shipping needs with UPS!
We caught up with Melissa to hear more about the project and process of creating this years UPS Holiday Express Box…
How does it feel to be UPS’ chosen artists for the Holiday Express Box this year?
It feels great to be the chosen artist for the UPS Holiday Express Box! I am thrilled that companies are seeing the possibilities with 3D in print, it definitely brings a new dimension and tactility to objects. I am such a lover of all things holiday, so taking on this project was a joy for me!
Can you tell us a little about the process of creating the design? What was the biggest challenge?
The process of this box design was actually pretty similar to how I go about most of my work. Starting with a sketching phase of a few designs, then narrowing that down to the most effective one. After locking in the sketch, I move on to the 3D modelling phase where we start seeing how everything will look digitally. During the 3D phase the colours also come into play and I work on deciding what colour palette looks the best when shadows and lights enter. I can also see what objects don’t serve much of a purpose, and after a few rounds we have a final version where everything feels very intentional. I would say my biggest challenge with this project was creating a design that worked as a full image but also a cropped version – as the box design is only half of the space as the envelope design.
You’re so good at sharing your process behind creating your artwork, as this was an integral part of this project for UPS socials, why do you think it is important to be open about your process?
I love sharing behind the scenes of my projects mainly because it is the type of content I love watching. I am always very intrigued with how things are made, whether that be with artwork, movies, or music. I think it’s fun to see the overall process to get one final product, a lot of times it stars out being nowhere close to the final. I think it also makes the project so much more personal when people can join in on the process.
Do you have any other dream packaging projects in mind?
After creating this UPS box, it has really peaked my interest in packaging in general. Packaging for food or drinks would be an avenue I would love to explore in the future. I think it would be crazy to have artwork on a product that people use on a daily basis, or could just casually walk by in a grocery store. I am such a fan of illustrated packaging myself, and often times can’t resist buying a product just based on having a good design!
And finally, what is your favourite thing about the festive season?
I am a huge lover of the holiday season. I am one of those people that has to throw on the Charlie Brown Christmas album the first day of November. Growing up in California we never had winter weather, but I was always desperate to get into the spirit with cozy clothing, festive drinks, and decorations. I would say my favourite thing about the holidays is having big meals with both sides of my family. Lots of good food, and laughter to go around!
If you’d like to see more of Melissa’s fantastic work, you can head over to her portfolio page!
Credits
Illustration & Animation – Melissa Mathieson
Agenting & Production – Brilliant Artists
Client – UPS
Agency – The Martin Agency
Head of Production – Brett Alexander
EP – Nicole Lederman
Sr. Producer – Vanessa Griggs
Associate Director, Financial Affairs – Kelly Clow
Design Director – Henrique Santiago
Designer – Cleo Peng
Account Supervisor – Emilee Lampert
Account Executive – Yue Yu
Project Manager – Claire Jones (Silwanowicz)
Sr. Print & Product Producer – Paul Martin
Studio Artist – Brendan Ginsburg
