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The Challenges of a Challenge Coin
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The Challenges of a Challenge Coin ---
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One of my recent creations was a request I received from a team at Dell Technologies. The team leader asked me to create the design for a challenge coin that he distributes to his team yearly. Although I had created many different types of designs before, I would find that this particular request came with its own unique set of challenges.
For those of you not aware of what a challenge coin is, they’ve been an American military tradition for over a century and are meant to instill pride, reward hard work, and build team spirit. They are metal, can be molded in almost any shape, and vary in size between 1 to 3 inches. As part of this project brief, I was given several guidelines to follow and limitations to abide by. Moreover, the importance of the coin to unite individuals through the use of the word “team” was stressed to me. Through this word, the thought was that everyone shares a common goal and contributes to the objective of the group. Additional requirements included the use of the Dell Technologies logo, the team logo, and the inclusion of the following text:
2024
Best Team in the Galaxy
Trust
Respect
Pride
East Engineering
To start the project design, I researched various other challenge coins that the Dell team provided me as reference. Even though a different theme has been used each year, I noticed the reliance on the iconic “Dell blue” shade on all past coins. With this starting point, I chose to design the coin with several colors that were used in the past, such as grey, teal, and others from the official Dell palette. After applying the chosen colors, however, I saw they were not an appropriate fit for the outer space theme I had already decided upon. For this reason, I decided to instead use colors like pure black and bright white to represent the night sky. Although I did not want to rely on previously used colors, the “Dell blue” shade of the type helped tie the project back to the company while complimenting the black and white in other areas.
The challenge of color was only the first to be faced in the project, as I realized my next critical decision was that of shape. Recalling the fact that the coin needed to be patch-shaped, I researched some of the most frequently seen uniforms of firefighters, police, and military officers. While there were many interesting shapes to consider, I decided on a “tombstone” shaped patch, to meet the design requirement while also allowing for an adequately-sized work area. After trying out multiple shapes, it became apparent that those with angles, while visually interesting, made placing the many required components impossible.
Beyond the first two factors, I now had to select an appropriate typeface. I searched for a type that would not only complement the Dell logo and suit the chosen space theme, but also be powerful enough to convey the desired message of a strong team. I sought out a typeface that would suggest the values with class and style while ensuring not to overwhelm the design with large letterforms or overbearing shapes. For the motivational motto, “Best Team in the Galaxy”, and the group ideals of “trust”, “respect”, and “pride”, I selected Avenir as the perfect fit. This typeface gracefully reminds viewers of the team’s values and pairs well with the Dell logo. I knew the “East Engineering” typeface needed to be strong and confident while also fitting the theme. After establishing these criteria, I chose Saira Stencil One Regular which matched my design concept.
With color, shape, and type decided upon, I faced the difficulty of fitting and placing the elements on the roughly 2” x 2” face of the coin. While I was told that the image might be scaled in order to enlarge it for promotional materials, I also knew that the design must be clear and readable when shrunk down. After studying my revisions for some time, I determined that all of the company’s details should be grouped together on one side to provide a glimpse into what the team itself represents. The space – themed elements, which are all present on the coin’s opposite side, remind viewers that the team is much more than simply a United States – based group. Instead, it is a gathering of workers that stands apart from any other in the galaxy. As a designer, it was my responsibility to suggest this vision with the use of only the small number of graphics I was given to work with.
I spent significant time resizing images, adjusting and reshaping text, and adding and removing content. While there were several revisions, I am happy to say, the coin was approved without any major modifications. The final design and layout is shown below:
Reflecting on the final design and thinking about the choices that were made, I am very satisfied with the end result. This challenge coin is unlike any other project that I have completed to date. The number of required elements, the restrictions on colors, and the confines of working in a very small space were all design considerations that needed to be thought through. Knowing this coin will be carried by team members around the globe and represent much more than the metal it is made of is a unique and fantastic feeling for this designer.