The cigar and business industries alike were mesmerized and inspired with the recent article on The Washington Post about how Omar de Frias, owner of Fratello Cigars, left his NASA job to become a full-time cigar mogul. De Frias gave us a call and asked for an ‘out of this world’ package design, needless to say, we launched at the opportunity immediately.

De Frias asked us to create a space shuttle inspired design, one we could transfer onto a cigar box. His goal was that for every customer purchasing a ‘Fratello Navetta’, to walk away with a piece of the space shuttle. The entire space shuttle is covered with individual tiles that protect the orbiter in re-entry withstanding heat of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

We at Cigar Package Design presented De Frias with a design concept based on those individual tiles, specifically the black tiles that line the belly of the shuttle. Our proposal called for a black stain application onto wooden cigar boxes. The design layout called for a prominent ‘Fratello Navetta’ logo on the top lid, vitola size and names on the sides of the box. All graphics on box exterior to be silk screen, in order to pull-off the look & feel of a space shuttle tile. The inside of the box is rounded off with a full color, foil stamp and embossed print.

We delivered a unique concept, layout and design solution to a project that had an extremely tight deadline, but needed to look like a well planned NASA project. Best of all, we delivered a package design that exceeded our clients expectations, and met all the requirements for branding this new line of cigars.