The imperfect gift
glassybaby
How it came to be
The challenge
glassybaby (always with a lowercase “g”!) is a purpose-driven company known for its handblown glass votives and drinkware that are as meaningful as they are beautiful. Each one is unique, and a portion of every sale is donated to charities supporting people, animals, and the planet. To date, they have given over $15 million.
Beloved near its flagship Seattle stores, glassybaby set its sights on winning hearts beyond the Pacific Northwest. They approached our creative team to dream up an engagement campaign that would introduce the brand to new markets and online shoppers. The goal was to position glassybaby as a unique, meaningful gift for any occasion, not just seasonal holidays, and to inspire people to look beyond their typical gifting habits.
The solution
Our small but mighty team began by diving into the rituals — and struggles — of gift-giving. Through research, questioning, and reflection, we uncovered the human truths that make a gift truly meaningful. From these insights, we developed a messaging framework that positioned glassybaby within the heart of these moments, showing how their products could turn any occasion into something memorable and heartfelt.
the heart of Gifting
Understanding the highs and lows of gift-giving led us to develop a messaging framework that positioned glassybaby as a thoughtful solution to these universal challenges. We distilled our research into three key pillars, each reflecting a core motivation behind meaningful gifting.
Personality
Caring, sisterly, spiritual,
inviting, mindful
Essence
We are a purpose-driven organization of artisans that craft gifts for special occasions and give back to the community
Artisanal
I want to give something that they can’t just find anywhere. If they can buy it on Amazon, it doesn’t mean anything.
Why glassybaby?
Products handcrafted locally by artists
Unique genesis story and mission
Aesthetically beautiful product, with small variations
Highly Personalized
I look for a gift that matches the message that I want to send to the recipient in that moment.
Why glassybaby?
In a collection of 200+, each color has its own name and story
Each gift message is handwritten
Storytelling around life moments
Perceived Value
I want to show them that I value our relationship. I want to buy them a gift that they will love but might not buy for themselves.
Why glassybaby?
Hand-blown glass in the US by artisans
Sustainable
Part of each sale goes to a charitable cause
Invests in artisans
SKIP TO THE FAVORITE DIRECTION
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SKIP TO THE FAVORITE DIRECTION ↓
SKIP TO THE FAVORITE DIRECTION
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SKIP TO THE FAVORITE DIRECTION ↓
Using these inherent truths, Barrie Arliss and I teamed up and came up with three distinct campaign directions.
Insight
We need more reasons to feel inspired to buy, rather than being told to buy. We need a human connection.
Good gifts are not about what it is, they’re about what it means. Your loved one’s recognition that you know them; that is the best feeling.
mantra
We, the people, have forgotten the why of gifting.
Right now, buying gifts feels more like a burden than a thoughtful intention.
Imagine what could happen if we remember, reflect, and recognize our intentions.
Our reasons for why we love each other, why we deal with the baggage, why we laugh at our mistakes, and all the moments in between.
What if we started valuing, celebrating, and honoring people again, rather than just getting a gift because our calendars told us to?
So, let’s make glassybaby more personal than all the others.
Let’s shed light on the why.
Not just because glassybaby is beautiful, but because every one of a kind gift we create is meaningful, intentional, and worth giving for all your one of a kind reasons.
moodboard
Executions
Insight
No one knows the magical wonders that make glassybaby so powerful. Yet.
glassybaby votives hold the power of color and light, and each one has a story as unique and imaginative as the glassybaby themselves. Let’s take those sweet stories and make them glow.
mantra
Once upon a time...
These lovely votives were born. They were created as a safe space for telling secrets. For singing and dancing, as if no one was there. For those quiet nights where you just needed to be.
Decades later, our glassybaby are still humble, yet mighty. They still spark our inner spirits. And they will always have a good story to share.
So gather around, one and all. Let’s sit around the fire, curl up with a blanket, and share each and every glassybaby story. Again and again and again.
moodboard
Executions
Insight
Gifting is soooooooo hard. Nothing seems perfect enough. And that makes me feel less than perfect.
If glassybaby can admit that their gifts aren’t perfect (re: one of a kind), then why don’t we own imperfection? Let’s hone in on the fact that gifts don’t have to be perfect and people don’t have to be perfect, to be, well, perfect.
mantra
Nothing is perfect. No one is perfect. We will all be ok.
Why is there this constant search for perfection? For that perfect gift, that perfect trip, that perfect person.
I hate to break it to you world, but perfect — it simply doesn’t exist. So stop looking for it. Stop torturing yourself with awkward gifts that don’t mean anything because a website said they are THE present this year. Stop hiding “thoughtful” gifts in the closet, only to bring them out when your MIL is in town.
Stop the awkwardness and forced feelings of this unattainable perfect. Because we, at glassybaby, are anything but perfect. And neither are you. And that’s great.
moodboard
Executions
Real Gifts for
Real People
If glassybaby could admit that their gifts aren’t perfect (re: one of a kind), then why don’t we own imperfection? So, we honed in on the fact that gifts don’t have to be perfect and people don’t have to be perfect, to be, well, perfect.
Through unexpectedly honest messaging and imagery pulled straight from life’s wonderfully messy middle, we positioned glassybaby’s handmade variations as a refreshing alternative to cookie-cutter gifting, making the brand feel more human, personal, and easy to love.
Once the concept was born, we developed a campaign toolkit that included everything from social ads to paid search to print and out-of-home.
social Ads
Display Ads
Out of home
Campaign guide
We also prepared design guidelines for the company’s in-house team to use for future ads.
Extension ideas
We also shared a range of fun, interactive ideas, from a weekly social series highlighting the most imperfect glassybaby to come out of the kiln, to in-person “Second Saturdays” events featuring second picks from glassybaby and local artists, to collaborations like compiling hundreds of handwritten “I love you’s” that celebrated the diversity of expression. Together, these showed how the campaign’s core idea of celebrating imperfection could extend well beyond ads and spark deeper engagement with the brand.
Even in
Uncertain Times
We should note that during this time, Covid-19 hit. glassybaby, like many other stores, had to board up and put a pause on any sort of future plans. But amid the pandemic, we still met (virtually, of course), we still hit deadlines, and we still delivered a project that made everyone glow.
You’re the only agency who’s ever ‘gotten’ our vision … ever.
- Jen Winegardner,
Director of Marketing
That’s such a great idea, I am so in love.
- Lee Rhodes,
Founder and CEO
Every rough edge made this brighter. Thanks to:
Creative Direction
Matt Peterson
Copywriter and Co-Art Director
Barrie Arliss