Two Key Tips When Making an Invention Designed for an Existing Product

When it comes to making a great invention, it doesn’t always need something completely new. In fact, many great ideas are inspired by existing designs and products. Just like our client’s brilliantly simple design, the CNCT cooler. This is an award-winning premium hard cooler inspired by the sleekness and quality of Tesla vehicles. In today’s blog, our product design firm in California is going to share two key tips when making an invention designed for existing products.

Aesthetics

Notice how so many third-party accessories for Apple products follow Apple’s minimalistic design. As Kevin Mako, the President and Founder of our product design firm in California mentioned in his appearance on The Virtual CMO Podcast, it’s important to ensure the product integrates well with other products. 

The same applies to our design approach of the CNCT.

In a word, it feels premium, just like when you experience a Tesla vehicle. But don’t just take our word for it. Reviewers like Trevor, the Founder of Tesla Owners Online, fell in love with the durable, rotomolded exterior. Take a closer look at the product design of the CNCT and you’ll notice the subtle curves around the outer walls of the cooler to match the flowing silhouette of Tesla vehicles. The embossed CNCT logo is discrete enough that the large letters don’t distract viewers from admiring the cooler’s beauty. We even applied the flowing theme to the entire shape of the cooler. Every single corner is rounded out. The finishing touch is of course the color. The CNCT is finished in the iconic bright powerful Tesla red that we’ve grown to love.

Functionality

Take into consideration how your product design functions and if it seems like your invention idea would be more attractive when in use, side-by-side with products customer already likes. This cooler was custom-built to fit Tesla Models S, X, and Y trunk and frunk, and the Model 3 trunk. In addition, we saw an opportunity to elevate the attractiveness of the cooler by designing the handles to function almost the same way the Tesla door handles work. Just like the Tesla door handles, one simply needs to press down on the handles when retracted, then the handles will eject upwards. A brilliantly simple function that elevates an already beautiful product.

Want to learn more? Check out CNCT’s new website as they gear up for their big re-launch!

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!