Dreams at Play: How HonePD Brought See Me Be’s First Retail Product Range to Life
While searching for gifts for her children, Brisbane mum and founder Jana Black couldn’t find what she believed would encourage her girls to dream big.
Inspired to break down biases and open up opportunities, See Me Be shows girls through play that “if you can see it, you can be it.”
See Me Be’s dolls allow girls to envision themselves in roles beyond household chores. The spark that ignited this idea was a 'magic sink' toy—just another example of the sexist options available.
As one way to showcase gender and ethnic diversity in professions typically dominated by males, the See Me Be dolls each come with a story about who they are and what they do, with further character development in the future.
HonePD played a pivotal role in transforming the concept of these dolls into their initial artistic renditions and into the plush toys they are today.
You can read more about her spark of inspiration here.
Product Design Services for Retail
HonePD helped See Me Be with conceptual design, character development, manufacturing specifications, supplier liaison, product sampling and enhancement. We also oversaw quality control and handled logistical aspects.
The biggest challenges with See Me Be included creating a doll that met the client's needs, portraying the characters in the best way possible, and staying within the budget.
Multiple iterations of samples were needed to test the design and manufacturing process to accomplish the brand's goals. However, we are all very proud of the result.
Advice for retail clients from HonePD product engineer Andrew Jack is “To find a product that can be sold at high margins and can compete at price. The biggest value of See Me Be is its empowerment and selling with emotion rather than on a logical basis. It’s unique in the market, and finding differentiators is important for products. Great ideas aren’t necessarily going to sell—often, ideas aren’t unique enough to sell on their own without a brand.”
See Me Be Brand & Product Launch
The brand officially launched in February 2024 with high-quality dolls produced, sourced and adhering to Australian standards. HonePD helped See Me Be establish a good relationship with the supplier and ensured quality control and cost targets were met.
According to Jana, "Anthony and the HonePD team have been a wealth of support and knowledge during See Me Be's design, manufacturing, and launching phases. They have only been too happy to help, no matter the question. We have developed a great bond, and I have felt Anthony and the team's genuine connection to See Me Be products. They have cheered me on from day one! Joining the Hone was the best decision for these dolls, ready to take on the world."
Good design stands out. Get in touch with us today to kick-start your new product design project!