Hidden Gems: Meet Joe Campos of McHale Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Campos.

Hi Joe, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
After working in the video game industry on the creative side at Vivendi Games, the company closed the creative services department. As a result, I started looking for a new opportunity. Luckily, I got an interview at Mattel Toys, and they liked me, so I stayed there for ten years. During my time at Mattel, I got to work on some fantastic brands like WWE, Hot Wheels, Batman, Superman, and more! 

I have always loved toys since, as a kid of the 80s, I played with He-Man, Transformers, Star Wars, and many others. I fell in love with the industry during my 10 years at Mattel and wanted to learn as much as possible of how it all worked. I love how it’s constantly evolving, yet at its core is always FUN and PLA. Although, of course, it’s still work, it’s hard to call it that at times when you love what you do. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Of course, like anyone else, there have been challenges in my life like layoffs, companies closing, job loss, loved ones passing, personal relationship setbacks, etc. overall, I can say I have been blessed with a low-drama life. 

Though life can be smooth at times, it’s the struggles and the rough times that we truly learn the most about ourselves and what we can accomplish. Despite when we doubt ourselves, suffer from imposter syndrome, negative or lack of support from others, or even worse… when we overcome those struggles or obstacles, is where we can look back at the path we conquered to get where we are today. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
McHale Design is the creative agency I own that specializes in premium branding and packaging for the Toy and Youth Entertainment Industries. We utilize our decades of creative expertise by evaluating your strategies, key marketing objectives, then skillfully translating them into powerful creative solutions. We are also expanding into the Pet Brand and Food/Beverage spaces. 

Our motto is “Helping brands thrive since 1985”, which means almost 40 years of creative excellence, and we are very proud of that fact. Check out our website and social media to see how we have helped dozens of clients! 

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I feel there will be more opportunities to integrate digital and physical play and no one has truly found that secret sauce just yet. But many are getting close. 

The current proliferation of AI could either be a blessing or a curse, but so much is still up in the air. It’s almost like when Video Games first came out in the early 80s, many worried kids wouldn’t play with physical toys anymore, but here we are almost 45 years later going strong. AI integration will be interesting to watch, and I am excited at the possibilities. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mchaledesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchaledesign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCHDesign
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/joey-campos
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@joe_campos_McHaleDesign