Overview + IDEA

Spearheading an independent entrepreneurial spirit unlike any other, Shopify sought to create the first global awards program for entrepreneurs. While there is a great appreciation for the millions of customers that help drive all Shopify shops, there was a deep desire to support and honor the retailers on a personal level. Retailers all around the world were deserving and would soon be recognized for their monumental achievements.

The ideation stage seemed simple enough: create a milestone award that congratulates retailers for achieving a substantial number of orders. Therein lies the challenge that Cristaux savors: how to manufacture a recognition piece that not only invokes emotion but inspires future greatness, all while embodying the quality of work that each retailer brings to the Shopify platform.

With the hopes of replicating their logo into a 3D recognition piece, this awards program was going to be one for the books. As the criterion of recipients was established, the Shopify team set out to create something special with Cristaux.

As the program launched, thousands of recipients were due their accolades since many retailers had already hit the first tier of milestones and were on their way to the next level. While time was not on our side in terms of a quick manufacturing turnaround, the partnership that was forged between the Shopify and Cristaux Teams was as solid as it was true.

CHALLENGES

As any major player in the game knows, when you create something new, you must create something of substance. And the Shopify Milestones had to be exactly that – something built with a promising excellence that all can appreciate.

Our first challenge in manufacturing these awards came from the concept of building out each category by capturing a distinguished set of colors. To top it off, Shopify wanted each piece to have a mirrored “S” on the replica to match their brand standards. Finding colors that would not wash out that mirrored effect would prove to be difficult in and of itself.

Additionally, Shopify desired a tiered set of pieces but did not want to rely on the “Olympic Medallion” effect – That is to say, they did not just want a gold, silver and bronze tiered system.

Instead, they sought out colors that emulated that effect while making it their own. With a system of gold, matte silver, and white, they created a uniquely layered milestone program that would look classy and elegant on any desktop.

The next challenge came with the scale of the program. This was a large program with a small manufacturing turnaround time. We had to manage an incredible amount of data while fulfilling large production runs within a 30-day window. As a company that organizes massive amounts of data themself, Shopify was able to collaborate with our Production Team to escalate production runs with ease.

The Creation

In the end, a one-of-a-kind tiered milestone award program was formed. Using a mix of electroplating, powder coating and anodizing, these replica awards were substantial in weight and stature, providing a quality look and feel. Each color was distinguished to highlight the significances of each category: white for 10,000 orders, matte silver for 100,000 orders, and gold for 1,000,000 orders placed on the platform.

While each piece made a statement, the personalization details are what matter to the end-recipient. Each award was personalized on the backside. This prominent display of text was unique to each recipient, including the company name, tier of orders met, and the date at which the company achieved that milestone.

To make the package feel complete, all milestone awards are shipped in Shopify branded packaging with a personal letter from either the founder of Shopify, Tobias “Tobi” Lütke, or Harley Finkelstein, the CEO. This last feeling of high touch gave the Shopify Milestone recognition program one last tribute to all the hard work the retailers have put in to make their business a success.