FiftyThree is wholly devoted to the creator, the maker, the original thinker. We delight in the fact that our users constantly make things with our tools that we never envisioned or predicted. Their ideas excite us, and they help to shape our future.

Pencil by FiftyThree is a tool for creators and our challenge in creating packaging for our stylus was the desire to engage the inventiveness of this creator community. We wanted to find a form that would speak to their boundless imagination, as well as communicate our brand point of view around beautiful simplicity and deep craftsmanship.

The design combines smart structural engineering with a playful experience. A fun product reveal graphically reproduces and physically unveils Pencil, and the packaging is weighted so when lying flat, the tube rolls with Pencil facing up. A paper tube and raw paper pulp ensure ease of recycling. Alternately, the tube’s durability allows for reuse as a Pencil case. Built right inside of the pulp structure are spare tip and eraser parts in sealed storage. Pencil was designed for the app, Paper by FiftyThree and package graphics clearly tie Pencil to the app, strengthening the brand’s visual identity.

User feedback and media reviews alike consistently praised Pencil’s packaging whenever describing Pencil itself. They noted its shape and graphics, the smart organization of spare parts and the playful product reveal. We found people particularly liked how the packaging rolled so Pencil always faced up, and felt the dual functionality of the packaging as a carrying case harkened back to childhood days carrying a pencil holder. We even had numerous creators send us sketches they’d done of Pencil’s packaging as way of thanks and appreciation.