A common question our team receives when a client requests a Deal Toy design is ‘How big should it be?’

While it’s tempting to say that it’s only limited by your imagination and budget, there is an answer!

As a general rule, you should be led by basic design principles and consider how the recipient might react to the piece. If comically too small, it may be perceived as having less value, unless it’s made with expensive materials or components.

A solid gold deal toy with precious stones might get a pass for being on the smaller side!

And on the flipside, an enormous Deal Toy may seem over-the-top if the context of the deal or design doesn’t align.

Both designing and manufacturing Deal Toys, we are huge fans of data. So, we went to our project files and looked at designs that had to be reworked; specifically, designs that the client liked the design but had minor changes in relation to size. We then examined how often a client wanted to make it smaller, and how often it needed to be bigger. This might have been height, width, depth or a combination of all three.

There was a clear trend.

Overwhelmingly, it was most common that a design was too short.

Adjusting the height dominated our change request queue, and as we scale up, the width was the next most impacted factor. After that, changing the depth was not as common, as many designs can be more 2 dimensional or have less need for significant depth when placed on a shelf.

So, what conclusion did we draw from our research?

The optimal dimensions for a deal toy are…

7″ W x 6.5″ H

These dimensions offer designs that are deemed most pleasing to look at and are perceived as quite valuable.

By following a few tips, you can ensure that your design is the optimal size…

Consider where this Deal Toy will be displayed.

• By itself? In a lobby? On a client bookshelf? In a large collection? The environment in which it will be displayed can be a good guide to the scale it should be designed at!

If time is money, opt for the larger size immediately and resist the temptation to scale it back to save a few dollars.

• You might think sacrificing an inch or two on the design is a compromise you are willing to make to save $5 or $10 per piece, but our data shows you will most likely be back to request an increase in size, wasting time.

Pay attention to the scale and measurements on the concept files you receive.

• At first glance, a Deal Toy may look impressive on that 30+ inch monitor screen, until you get the prototype shipped to the office and realize the piece was a LOT smaller than you anticipated. Check the second page of each design file you receive – there are detailed measurements listed for you to accurately visualize the piece!

Use the “Soda Can” rule.

• We sometimes refer to smartphones as a good guide – your piece should be at LEAST as tall, or taller than your smartphone. But smartphones vary in size, so when in doubt, ask yourself this question. “Is this going to be bigger than a can of soda?”

What is too big?

• Yes, bigger is better, but you might need to reevaluate the size if you are on a stricter budget. The bigger a piece, the more material it is going to need, and the heavier it is going to weigh. Now, weight plays a huge role in Deal Toy design, so you are looking for a design that has a presence in hand and on the shelf but doesn’t end up with an excessive shipping charge! Check out this article to read more about the ideal weight of a Deal Toy.

What about a short, but wide design?

• You absolutely can have an impressive design that sacrifices height for width. Our data showed that optimal width was on average 7.1″, but if you want a wider than average design, be mindful that you are going to want something generally taller than 4″, ideally 5+.

Lastly, let our team guide you.

• We want you to be impressed with your Deal Toy, and our AMs will make recommendations that will ensure the final piece you receive is one you want to show off around the office. From material choices to design complexity and more, we are striving to get you a design that looks and feels great in hand, at a fair price and is on your desk in a timely fashion!

If you’re ready to open a new deal toy project today, reach out through our Get My Design form now.