The holiday season brings a sense of celebration, generosity, and the joy of unwrapping something special. In the design industry, it’s a time for studios and agencies to wield their craft to design thoughtful, bespoke gifts for clients and collaborators—expressions of creativity that go beyond the ordinary. It’s inspiring to see how design teams turn this tradition into an art form blending storytelling, craftsmanship, and surprise. At the turn of the new year, we tend to set things aside and look ahead.
While our minds may be on the year ahead of us, I wanted to take some time out to spotlight my favorite studio-made gifts from 2024 that truly stand out.
Tavern’s House Lambrusco
To celebrate their second year in business, Tavern created a limited edition sparkling red Lambrusco, Tavern House Wine, for clients and close agency friends. This follows their first-anniversary project, Tavern Beer, a design created to showcase the team’s capabilities and attract beer clients. Their wine takes inspiration from dive bars, Italian American social clubs, and red sauce joints, a nod to the studio’s love for food, drinks, and hospitality. “Since the beginning, taverns have shaped our agency’s identity,” said Mike Perry, founder and chief creative officer. “Drawing influence from the White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island, the oldest running tavern in the U.S. For this project, we imagined the kind of house wine an old-school Italian American establishment would serve, blending history with our signature creative approach.”
The Century Schoolbook wordmark—a timeless nod —pairs with Minuet, a vintage wine label typeface, and Grilli Type Standard comes in for contrast. Hidden details include vintage seals and stamp overlays that evoke some of the team’s favorite beer labels. The label’s horses resemble chess knights to symbolize Tavern’s two years in business, and repeat in the wax-dipped top, hand-stamped, horse insignia. The Tavern team has created a story and experience that extends well beyond the bottle. The patinaed brass glorifier, which doubles as an ashtray, and a membership card to the studio’s imaginary tavern are theatrical and playful nods to a bygone era. Perry said, “Ultimately, this project is as much about celebrating our clients as it is about indulging our own passion for design, storytelling, and handcrafted details.”
If Only Creative’s Bespoke Salsa
If Only Creative, a Chicana-led creative agency, has always championed collaboration and community at its core. This ethos came to life in their recent partnership with celebrated Chicano chef Jacob Croom of pop-up and supper club My Friend Fernando to develop two custom salsas for existing and potential clients. From the recipe itself to the packaging, this collaboration reflects their shared passion for uplifting culture, storytelling, and artistry. By blending Jacob’s culinary expertise with If Only Creative’s design vision, they’ve created a product that is as authentic and bold as the communities they serve.
“This partnership also marks an exciting moment for the agency,” said If Only Creative’s founder, Marisa Dunning-Sanchez, “as Jacob Croom will officially join If Only Creative as a food partner for our private dinner, El Otro Lado, in 2025.” This announcement underscores the agency’s commitment to bridging creative and culinary worlds, forging relationships that amplify voices within communities of color. Together, they aim to push boundaries, bringing new ideas and flavors to life while celebrating the rich heritage of Chicano culture.
As an agency rooted in food and beverage, If Only Creative consistently prioritizes supporting POC-owned businesses. This collaboration is more than just a product launch—it’s a celebration of heritage, innovation, and the power of collaboration.
Wedge’s Staff Meal Recipes
Speaking of food, pull up a seat to STAFF MEAL: 12 Recipes from the creative directors, designers, and team at Wedge. Born out of a shared love for cooking, gathering, and all things food that comes from the best of hospitality, each recipe comes with a personal anecdote. “From Justin’s Tartare de Boeuf to Alon’s Korean Stew to Cap’s Cookies, there’s something sweet and savory for everyone,” said Sarah Di Domenico, Wedge’s co-founder and chief creative officer.
Bon Appétit!
Stout’s Holiday Cards
Every year, Stout creates a special set of holiday cards for clients and friends of the studio—a cherished tradition that brings delight and creative expression. Each edition takes on a fresh approach, shaped by intentional constraints such as dimensions and a defined color palette.
Over the years, Stout’s designs have ranged from intricate illustrations to bold, experimental concepts. This year, however, the studio embraced a different philosophy: simplicity and elegance. “Inspired by the timeless themes of Peace, Love, and Joy, the 2024 holiday cards embody a refined minimalism, allowing the message to take center stage,” said designer Brigitte La.
CENTER’s Circle C Blanket
Each year, the CENTER team creates a special item of custom merch as a gift for clients and collaborators. “Though we’ve had plenty of requests to sell these items,” said Alex Center, founder and chief creative officer, “we prefer to keep them exclusive—reserved for our close-knit “friends and family.”
For this annual winter tradition, the team has designed everything from sweatshirts and beanies to water bottles and t-shirts. For 2024, instead of something to wear, they created something to snuggle with and keep you warm during the winter chill.
The 2024 CENTER Blanket is a bold design in orange, blue, black, and taupe, featuring a clever twist on the studio’s Circle C logo. It’s not your average branded merch though. Up close, it’s an abstract pattern, worthy of a permanent spot on your couch or favorite chair.
The color palette is a nod to the studio’s signature couch and tables. The blankets are modeled and photographed by the team—the familiar faces that bring the studio to life show us exactly how to rock the blanket with style.
High Tide’s Palmy Candle
The inspiration behind High Tide‘s annual gift was to create an object that paid homage to our longstanding brand symbol and mascot (whom we affectionately refer to as Palmy). “High Tide recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary,” says Danny Miller, founder and creative director. “So it felt right to commemorate the moment with a physical manifestation of our brand symbol that people could enjoy as a candle or simply put up on their bookshelves.”
With a minimal and straightforward studio identity, Palmy was born out of the team’s desire to represent the more fun, laid-back side of High Tide. The anthropomorphic palm also speaks to the studio’s origin story: Miller was on a surf trip in Costa Rica during the studio’s inception, and the name materialized in between long days of surfing.
Transport’s Brass Oil Lamps
Merry and bright? It takes a village.
Partnering with industrial designer Joe Doucet, Transport New York designed brass paraffin oil lamps to embody warm wishes for bright holidays. What is less obvious is the time and effort it took to make their idea a reality, something they started in 2023. Development, prototyping, and applying the team’s signature attention to detail took, well, a bit longer.
But it was worth it. The team always thinks big, and the gift invites the recipient to think big about what they can do together.
Vintage Danish inspiration was only one point in the team’s collaborative effort, down to the group packing and shipping party. “For us, it was a project in bringing Transport’s esprit de corps to life,” said Andy Gray, Transport’s founder and creative director. “It’s a sentiment we were sure to share in our message to recipients.”
Clever Creative’s Signature Scent
As Clever Creative approaches its 20th anniversary, the team wanted the studio’s recent brand refresh to culminate in a meaningful, sensory-driven experience. This special mailer serves as the final touchpoint of that journey—a way to reflect on the studio’s roots while looking ahead to the future.
What better way to celebrate than by creating a signature scent? “With Bonfire, we sought to deepen our brand’s connection by engaging all five senses crafting an experience that lingers long after the first impression,” said Shannon Gabor, founder. More than just a fragrance, Bonfire embodies the warmth, creativity, and spirit that have defined Clever Creative for two decades—a truly memorable and immersive way to share their story with clients and collaborators.
Thought Matter
Persistence: More than a drink, it’s our stance: creativity over complacency.
Thought Matter
Crafted as a provocative toast to resilience, Though Matter created zero-proof kombucha to be a reminder that while power can falter, the potential to rebuild with thought and purpose, never does.
Timed for delivery intentionally between Inauguration Day and Presidents’ Day, Thought Matter sent a message about what’s at stake for progress, perfectly timed between inauguration and President’s Day: a possibility only when we dare to break and build with purpose, not perfection. Says the studio, “This year’s gift is a declaration of the strength in our partnerships and the enduring power of creative collaboration,” said Jessie McGuire, managing partner.
The post Agency End-of-Year Gifts We’re Still Admiring a Month into 2025 appeared first on PRINT Magazine.