Ernie Ball Music Man

Custom Award Design, Product Design, Client Pitch

Top Pick, Perfectly Tuned

Created at Trophy Awards for Ernie Ball Music Man, this custom recognition award was developed as part of a pitch to a potential new client. I created the concept, designed the award, and produced a realistic mockup that allowed the client to evaluate the idea before committing to production.

The final design combined Ernie Ball Music Man’s iconic headstock shape within a distinctive guitar pick shaped award. The client approved the concept, loved the presentation, and became a new Trophy Awards customer.

Customer

Ernie Ball Music Man

Services

Concept Development

Custom Award Design

Brand Integration

Typography

Material and Production Planning

Presentation Mockups

Client Pitch Support

Designed to Strike a Chord

The process

Goals

The primary goal was to create a memorable award concept that would immediately feel relevant to the Ernie Ball Music Man brand. The design needed to demonstrate Trophy Awards’ custom fabrication capabilities, communicate the finished product clearly, and give the prospective client confidence in both the creative direction and production potential.

It also needed to feel substantial and premium while remaining appropriate for desktop or shelf display.

Challenges

Because the project was created for a prospective client, the concept had to make a strong impression without the benefit of an established working relationship or extensive client direction.

The design also had to balance visual impact with realistic production requirements. The guitar pick silhouette, headstock cutout, printed graphics, acrylic thickness, base dimensions, and overall proportions all needed to work as one cohesive and manufacturable object. The mockup had to communicate material, scale, depth, and finish accurately enough for the client to understand how the physical award would look.

Approach

I began by identifying visual elements strongly associated with the brand and the music industry. The main body was shaped like an oversized guitar pick, creating an immediate connection to the product category without relying solely on the logo.

I incorporated Ernie Ball Music Man's unique guitar headstock, creating a silhouette that was cut directly through the black acrylic, adding dimensional interest and allowing the surrounding environment to show through the award. The black acrylic and Ernie Ball Music Man's classic pink color reflected the bold visual language of the brand while maintaining the polished appearance expected of a recognition award.

The typography was arranged in a clear hierarchy, with “Top” emphasized as the primary recognition message and the award year centered on the base. I then created a detailed presentation mockup to demonstrate the form, materials, construction, proportions, and final appearance. The strength of the concept and presentation helped Trophy Awards secure Ernie Ball Music Man as a new client.

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