Candylab, the brand that turned wooden toy cars into small works of art, has always lived at the crossroads of nostalgia and design. But even beautiful brands can lose their way. For Candylab, that moment arrived when customers couldn’t tell the difference between its $10 “play” cars and $40 “display” collectibles. Blurred lines had put the company at risk of losing what made it special: clarity, collectibility, and that unmistakable sense of delight.
The company tapped Selman, the Brooklyn-based creative studio recently named Ad Age’s Design Agency of the Year, to help it reclaim and reframe its brand. Selman’s rebrand for Candylab is a masterclass in how design can solve business problems. Rather than simply polishing the brand’s surface, Selman dug into its core — its values, audiences, and ambitions — and reimagined how it could express them with intelligence and charm.
The resulting identity, built around the idea of “Fun-ctionality,” captures the perfect balance between play and precision. The system feels as considered as the cars themselves: modular, tactile, and unmistakably joyful. Against a backdrop of beige sameness in the wooden toy category, Candylab’s new visual language hums with color and confidence.
Beyond visuals, Selman introduced a clear brand architecture to help consumers and retailers understand Candylab’s dual worlds. The $10 line became CandyCar, for play and world-building; the premium $40 line was renamed Candylab Mints, for collectors and design lovers. This distinction brings structure to the brand and a sense of calm to its storytelling.
The work polished Candylab’s image as an American maker with a commitment to playful, sustainable design.
Johnny Selman
“The work polished Candylab’s image as an American maker with a commitment to playful, sustainable design,” said Johnny Selman, founder of the studio. “A unified visual DNA now creates clarity and connection while celebrating the distinctions between product lines.”
For Candylab founder Vlad Dragusin, the refresh marked a pivotal moment. “It’s the best effort and investment we’ve ever made for our company to grow and refine our brand image,” he said. “Everything is much clearer and easier to navigate.”
What’s most striking is how the rebrand honors Candylab’s original magic. The rebrand doesn’t chase trends or nostalgia; it builds on both. With an aesthetic that feels confident and contemporary, Selman has positioned Candylab as the quiet luxury of toys: heirloom-quality, plastic-free objects that spark joy for anyone from age three to infinity.
The new identity is proof that thoughtful design can do what words alone can’t—untangle confusion, restore meaning, and remind us why we fell in love in the first place.
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