Prime Studio

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of operations at a health tech startup. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Prime Studio?

We were launching a new product, which was one of the first manifestations of our consumer-facing products. While we were a B2B business, a direct-to-consumer option was available for this new product. As a result, we had to think about an unboxing experience that both catered to our doctor customers and end consumers. 

Those two groups had different needs and desires in terms of structural packaging. We knew that a nice packaging design could truly enhance the perception of a product across the board, so we wanted to create a compelling packaging and unboxing experience. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prime Studio helped us nail down the packaging design and make it consistent and compatible with our evolving brand. This was the most challenging part of the project because we were a young company. While we had a tangible brand, we hadn’t truly advertised our products or packaging. 

In the beginning, we provided Prime Studio with light branding guidelines, competitor information, samples of our products, and our competitors’ products. This information helped them understand our business, our customers, and the B2B and B2C spaces. Moreover, apart from structural design, we relied on Prime Studio for the packaging’s creative aspect. In other words, the project had creative and branding components. 

Our idea of how we wanted to represent this product was evolving as we learned more about it, our space, and our customers. Given that, the Prime Studio team provided us with options and paths. We agreed quickly on the structure of the packaging, but we had detours and restarts because the puzzle had so many evolving pieces. 

What is the team composition?

We mainly worked with four people, including Stuart (Founder & Creative Director). I interacted with Chris (Former Studio Manager), who served as our project manager. We worked together on scheduling things, giving feedback, and communicating back and forth. I also worked with their head structural engineer, while another person served as the lead designer for the creative aspect of the engagement. Then, 2–3 other people pitched in on different aspects of the project, such as finishing some renders and tying up loose ends.

How did you come to work with Prime Studio?

We found them on Clutch and Lumi, which provided recommendations on designers and suppliers. I narrowed my list down and found out that Prime Studio worked with a couple of startups where I knew a number of people. I also learned they worked with those startups on different projects. As a result, I decided to hire them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $30,000–$40,000 on Prime Studio’s services. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The project lasted from March–July 2021.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Prime Studio did a great job at helping us with packaging. They were adept at creating structural designs that fit what we needed. It wasn’t a simple task since there were plenty of moving parts. Despite that, the team effectively helped us ideate the structure of the packaging. We faced challenges because our brand was young, and we were still honing our identity. Eventually, though, we came up with something that pleased us. They did a great job, and I truly enjoyed working with them. 

Going forward, we expect that this project will have a positive impact on our business. We now have a high-quality packaging and unboxing experience; it’s going to be nice and delightful for our doctors and the patients that they treat. Overall, we’re happy with the project’s outcome and confident that we’ll get pretty far with the product. 

How did Prime Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Their project management was good. Our timeline extended longer than we wanted, but that’s because of us; we received new information and decided to change some of the deliverable’s highlights. Despite that, Prime Studio was great at sticking to the schedule, receiving feedback, and turning that feedback around. They maintained good schedules and kept us on track. On top of that, Stuart was a great person, and I truly enjoyed working with him. He had a calming and thoughtful approach to the project. 

To communicate, we did plenty of video calls, where they made presentations whenever a deliverable was ready. The calls took around 30 minutes. Then, we’d give them our feedback via email or video call, repeating the process throughout the project’s timeline. I didn’t meet them in person until we finished the product. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Prime Studio didn’t simply work on creative or branding aspects; they also helped out on design engineering. In that sense, they were a one-stop shop that combined structural engineering, creativity, and branding into a single place. It felt personal, which I enjoyed because I got to know them well all the way to the top. Even Stuart spent considerable time with us, especially in the beginning. 

Moreover, they had a cool and functional aesthetic, and the team was flexible. They challenged us, but they also enjoyed being challenged. In other words, they took feedback well and were receptive to it. They facilitated conversations so that we could challenge each other to arrive at a great outcome. Overall, our partnership was open, and we trusted each other’s feedback — they were definitely our thought partners. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

This was supposed to be a quick sprint, but we spent more time on it than we initially planned. Instead of having a two-month sprint, it ended up being a four-month project. We tried to expedite the timeline with Prime Studio, so we skipped steps that could have helped us be on the same page. Since we enforced a super short timeline, we had to short circuit some aspects upfront. However, we ended up extending it because of those sacrifices. 

That being said, Prime Studio was highly flexible, and they worked with us to accomplish our goals despite that tight timeline that we enforced. Overall, our feedback to them was positive. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re an established brand, give Prime Studio all your brand guidelines and make sure that they understand your brand upfront. Giving them a full understanding of your brand will unlock and harness their strength around structural engineering and design. 

On the other hand, if you’re a smaller company or a startup that’s still evolving, take the time to go through brand exercises. Explore your tone of voice, customer journey, and everything else that can help Prime Studio in understanding your brand. This will let them give you the best product design possible. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of an early-stage startup focused on providing oral wellness products to people.

What challenge were you trying to address with Prime Studio?

We were trying to determine how to provide a differentiated service to people who aren’t satisfied with their current oral care routines. We turned to Prime Studio to help us with the look and feel of individual products, how they’re packaged, and how they look together. Soup to nuts CPG.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We wanted a cohesive product that people would want to use as a group as part of their everyday routine. We also wanted the packaging to be eco-friendly and reduced shipping cost. I appreciate Prime Studio because they build and design beautiful products, but they also create things that have manufacturing considerations in mind. They’re also considerate of eco-friendliness and ergonomics. They want to make sure that this creates a differentiated experience for our consumers.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 5–6 people. We worked most closely with Stuart (Founder & Creative Director). Then Chris (Studio Manager) who interfaces on budget and spending; Troy (Senior Industrial Designer) on the industrial product side; Caroline (Designer), who helps with Industrial product and the look and feel. Then we have one more teammate who works on secondary packaging—what the product gets delivered in.

How did you come to work with Prime Studio?

we looked at a bunch of different alternatives, but Prime came really highly recommended by two other startups in the area.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent north of $100,000 so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We kicked off in February 2020 and it’s ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We haven’t launched yet, so we don’t have any performance metrics as yet. Initial qualitative feedback has been very strong.

What’s fun about this is that we have those experts in house and gather their feedback. They’re very excited because our intention is to make oral care a more considerate experience. Experts in oral wellness have been excited about the product we’re pulling together.

How did Prime Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

We mostly communicate over phone and email. We’ve been completely remote due to COVID-19, so it’s been a unique experience. We have a weekly sync with them. On a bi-weekly basis, we have a design review on whatever products we’re advancing and moving forward. Other weeks, we have progress updates. They interface with our contract manufacturers, and they’re equally as engaged in that part of our project as well.

They also use a Gantt chart to manage their resources and availability as well.

What did you find most impressive about them?

There are two things—their commitment to ergonomics and their thoughtfulness around how people use a product and how it feels in their hand. They make janky prototypes to walk us through the product and to effectively communicate how it will work. Even in COVID, they’re able to effectively communicate exactly how something is going to work.

The other is their deep knowledge of the manufacturing process. That helps us make sure we aren’t getting taken advantage of by other vendors.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. we have nothing but good things to say about them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Understand what you’re trying to achieve and be very clear about that objective upfront. That will help them hold themselves accountable and make sure that you agree on what defines success. Without that, you might have some additional shifts in your workflow.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the vice president of product development at a healthcare company.

What challenge were you trying to address with Prime Studio?

We wanted to create a packaging product that transformed first aid into a lifestyle accessory. In order to do that, we needed to integrate design from the very foundation of product development. We built out a partnership of companies and Prime Studio was our industrial design firm from the very conception.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Their design undertaking was two-fold. The first was having iconic and beautiful packaging that could break through on-shelf. Additionally, it needed to provide functional benefits throughout the lifecycle of the product in the consumer’s home and in the medicine cabinet.

The team also helped bring out the product offering, which included the shape and functionality of our bandages, to how they’re presented in the package. They handled everything from conception, design optimization, to assistance with scale-up and commercialization.

What is the team composition?

On average, we work with 2–3 different people at any one time.

How did you come to work with Prime Studio?

We were introduced to them through a creative agency that does our branding, graphic, and creative components.

How much have you invested with them?

We spend $10,000 – $12,000 per month and we have them on retainer. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in April 2018, and our work is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The ultimate measure of success are the products that launch and make an impact in consumer’s lives and in the marketplace. Prime has helped us with our initial 25-item launch, and it’s been very successful. We continue to optimize and tweak their offerings.

How did Prime Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Prime Studio is very well organized and integrated. They’re truly an extension of our team and we’re in constant communication. They flex to meet the capabilities of our company, whether that means detailed project management with rigid schedules or more formal planning with informal conversations. The team always has time to jump on a call with us. Since we’re a startup, we need agility, and Prime Studio delivers on that.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re outstanding at creating a product’s artistic elements, as well as its lifecycle and how it interacts with a user. The team is also pretty good at translating that into commercial design and finding a balance between a product’s beauty, functionality, and commercial potential. There are folks that don’t value design as much and they’re missing out.   

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, we’ve been really happy with them. The talent, commitment, and partnership are all there. They’ve been outstanding.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s important to commit. The only way you could be disappointed is if you intentionally limited the scope. Give them a shot, and they’ll bring it home. 

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm one of the co-founders of Helmm. We’re predominantly a men’s deodorant brand but will come out with more personal care products in the near future. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Prime Studio?

We tried to come up with a novel concept while retaining the traditional deodorant construct to avoid a massive shift in consumer behavior. Our deodorant container's refillable, which is a novel and innovative concept. The mandate was to reduce product waste and make it more sustainable, functional, and beautiful. 

What was the scope of their involvement?

Prime Studio helped to ideate, design, and engineer our product. During our first engagement, they delivered CAD files of our design and storyboard concepts. Their team created different ideas for ways to refill the deodorant. Their team took the idea in our heads and turned it into digital and design renderings and then engineer drawings.

We enjoyed the design process, so we expanded our engagement with Prime Studio. Their team created the secondary packaging for our product including shipper boxes and collateral within the shipper boxes.

Prime Studio also influenced early branding. They helped to create the logo and name as well as to establish brand colors and patterns.

What is the team composition?

I've worked with 4-5 people closely over the course of the last couple of years. Their team includes a project manager, a designer, a graphic designer, and Stuart (Founder and Creative Director, Prime Studio). It's a fantastic arrangement.

How did you come to work with Prime Studio?

I found them on a platform where you can look through different design firms and view companies' previous clients. Initially, we were drawn to Prime Studio because of the great companies they helped. We also liked their design work.

We met with 6-7 different design firms. Unlike the others, Prime Studio met us on our vision for the design and the company's future. Our first meeting with them was the biggest factor in our decision. We felt that Stuart only wanted to take on projects led by individuals with whom he could have a great relationship. As well, he wanted projects that he could be successful in supporting. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent between $100,000-$150,000 on their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in January 2017 and the engagement's ongoing. We've engaged Prime Studio on projects that ranged from new product designs to rendering material expirations even though our initial product launched about 2 years ago.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Without them, I don’t think that we would have a functioning product in the marketplace. There are some other refillable deodorant brands out there, but they don’t even touch ours because of Prime Studio.

We were featured in publications such as Forbes and Business Insider, which focused on the beauty and functionality of the product. That's a direct result of Prime Studio's work. We won awards from Men’s Health too.

The product's rated 4.8 stars out of five in customer reviews because customers are happy with it in their hands. We launched in 20 Saks Fifth Avenue stores as well as Saksfifthavenue.com which is the leading luxury retailer in the nation. That wouldn’t be possible without Prime Studio. They are invested partners with design and engineering acumen. 

How did Prime Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

I can’t stress enough how much of a partner they are in all aspects of the engagement. They're responsive and organized, so we never have issues with communication. We're always able to get in touch with each other. They're plugged in with our team and willing to help, which makes them an extension of us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Unlike other design studios, they feel like a partner rather than a contractor. That’s evidenced not only in their communication but also in their involvement and interest in the success of our company. Prime Studio helped in ways that extended beyond the confines of our agreement. Their team introduced us to vendors and vetted them as well as source materials. They’re consultants, designers, and a partner.

Their design acumen’s unmatched. They're experienced and create products at a fair price. We’ve seen other design firms and Prime Studio is far and away the best choice for project and personal perspective. We’ve never regretted choosing them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

View Stuart and the whole team as a partner who can help in many ways. If you limit the scope of their project to industrial design specifically, you’ll miss out on great insights into all aspects of a business. Let them plug in with your leadership team because we’ve been happy with their work for other facets of our company. Not to mention that for a company to be successful, there must be synergy across the departments.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the Director of New Products at a health and wellness startup. We sell vitamins and supplements. 

What challenge were you trying to address with Prime Studio?

We needed support with the structural packaging for our products.

What was the scope of their involvement?

We’ve contracted with Prime Studio for several different projects. 

They’ve been able to create custom packaging for our products on each occasion, including paper and board, glo-molded, and other innovative structural designs. 

What is the team composition?

Our main point of contact has always been Stuart (Founder & Creative Director, Prime Studio). However, on each particular project, there have been a few other people involved, usually a project manager and a number of designers.

How did you come to work with Prime Studio?

We had collaborated with them on an earlier project along with a separate graphic design agency. When we needed strictly structural packaging design, we felt comfortable turning to Prime Studio.

How much have you invested with them?

We typically spend between $10,000-$50,000 on each project.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first project began in 2018, and our relationship with Prime Studio is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Prime Studio is the agency we turn to when we need any structural packaging support. We’re currently engaged in our fourth project with them, and we really value their partnership and expertise.

They’ve been able to strike a balance between doing ideation upfront and coming up with innovative ideas, and translating and bringing to life some of the rough outlines of ideas we’ve formed ourselves. 

Prime Studio have been really strong partners and advisors to us, and we trust their experience and guidance. 

How did Prime Studio perform from a project management standpoint?

Prime Studio has performed really well. The team communicates efficiently, and if something falls behind for any reason, they’re upfront about it and fix it quickly. I’ve never worked with designers who are as strong and clear in their communication.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their strong point of view stands out. Particularly, Stuart will often push back against our ideas in a way that’s really effective. We trust the experience and knowledge that inform his insight.

He also has a great ability to keep both consumer understanding and operational understanding in mind with his designs. He doesn’t just consider how the user might interact with the packaging, but how the manufacturer will as well. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There’s nothing that I can think of. We keep working with them because we really value our partnership with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Incorporate as much context into your business and goals as you can. The more information you can give Prime Studio, the better an output they can create.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am President of Accessories for Rachael Ray's brand. I oversee several licensees and do business development for various merchandise categories. One of our projects is around business

For what projects/services did your company hire Prime Studio?

Prime developed brand design and packaging for Moxie Made #wearemoxiemade our commerce platform showcasing products curated, designed or made by women. The site is also home to Rachael Ray's first ever fashion line, Convalore, a collection of Italian vegetable tanned leather handbags, belts and small leather goods.

What were your goals for this project?

To create branding, marks and content that would convey our message and set Moxie Made and Convalore apart in an overcrowded e-commerce environment.

How did you select this vendor?

I first consulted with Prime in 2014 but wasn't able to secure budget for the project I had in mind. I was so impressed with Stuart and his team I came back first with a business development project still in work and again in 2018 for Moxie Made.

Describe the project in detail.

Build a website (in concert with a web development company) that acts as a platform of Rachael along with the other female collaborators through story telling, editorial content and inspired imagery. Develop packaging and collateral materials that reflect the brands aesthetic and ideals, the subtle promise of everyday luxury.

What was the team composition?

Prime dedicated designers as needed. The team shifted as the project went from phase to phase. Stuart participated and oversaw every aspect of each phase.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Moxie Made was honored to receive an Ace Award from the Accessories council in April for the Best New Launch.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was as smooth as silk. Prime was very responsive and always on time. They were a pleasure to work with, I think we were all a little sad to wrap this project and hope we have need for further work with Prime.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Initially I was really compelled by their portfolio and the wide range of projects they take on. They are able to understand the essence of a concept, to bring objectivity and expertise to the project. Prime really gets it and helped get us to the right place with each project we worked on together.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and co-founder of Stryx. Stryx is a men's corrective cosmetics brand that enables men to easily and comfortably look their best. We make high quality formulations for men in uniquely designed packaging that is sleek, discreet, and easy to use.

For what projects/services did your company hire Prime Studio?

We hired Prime studio to design our first 3 products, their secondary packaging, and also to create a brand name and logo.

What were your goals for this project?

We wanted to create products that were manly, sleek, and discreet. Essentially make a cosmetic product that does not look or function like any other female cosmetic product on the market, and do it in such a way that guys would feel comfortable using.

This was no simple task. We also needed to create a brand identity from scratch including a name and logo that fit with what we were trying to accomplish as a brand.

How did you select this vendor?

My co-founder and I searched for quite some time looking at some of the top design firms in NY for this job. We ended up selecting Prime Studio as we loved their past work for Harry's, Goby, Unilever, and many others, and felt they would best suit our needs.

Describe the project in detail.

Every phase of the project went through multiple rounds of exploration. We met to discuss initial project goals, and then, a few weeks later, met again to have a number of directions presented to us. This same pattern repeated throughout the process.

We were able to offer feedback through the design process to guide and steer Prime Studio along the way with our input. We felt this was critical to the final product as we were actively involved throughout the process together with the talent at Prime.

What was the team composition?

We were assigned a project lead / designer, but the head of Prime, Stuart, was super involved as well, and was at just about every meeting we had with them. We really felt like the whole of Prime studio touched our project at one point or another.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We ended up with products that truly were unique and matched all the criteria we needed. We get comments and compliments all the time talking about how special our product design is. It is what sets us apart from everyone else in the field.

To date, no one else has been able to produce anything close to our offering. Stryx has sold thousands of units to thousands of happy customers with a remarkably low refund rate, which just goes to show how much our customers love our Prime-Studio-designed products.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We felt it was quite effective. We were sent presentations often via email in advance. We were able to review and offer feedback. Turnaround was timely and consistent.

We always felt like we were being heard and understood, and that we could throw just about all of our thoughts at Prime and be confident that they would filter and distill them as needed.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Every team member was super, super talented. Everyone we worked with was super professional and had consistently excellent ideas.

We felt the entire time like we were working with people who really, truly knew what they were doing, and so were much more open to following their lead on certain things. There is tremendous talent at Prime Studio.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Everything can always be done a little bit faster, and there were times when communication was a bit lacking as well, but that was the exception, not the rule. Overall, we were extremely happy with Prime Studio's work for Stryx, and have used them for further projects already since!