At Tempe Trophy we take our work pretty serious. But, we’ve got to admit that the business of creating custom awards and gifts is pretty fun. So recently, when our awesome friends at QuikTrip approached us about a few new projects, we made it our business to have some serious fun.
When QT wanted a vintage bottle opener, we partnered with the company that created the original Coca-Cola bottle opener, and we got down to some serious (fun) business. Using the Starr “X” Stationary Bottle Opener, we created a steel prototype with ‘QuikTrip’ embossed across the face, and enveloped the entire piece in an antiqued finish. We also constructed a custom store award for them, which continuously circulates between the top performing locations. But, one of our favorite projects to-date was presented and completed in less than 48 hours; The QT Cup Award.
Our buddies from QuikTrip stopped by our shop on Baseline Road a couple of days before the local stores’ 1st Annual Year End Party. They handed us one of their iconic cups and asked us to create an epic award out of it. You all know this cup – it’s the one you fill with your choice of crushed or cubed ice, flavored syrups, and any combination of their chilled-to-a-perfect-34-degrees beverage options. Next time you’re sipping on your favorite QT concoction, think about this fun fact; QuikTrip was the first retailer to offer self-serve fountain drinks. No wonder they’ve perfected the art of ice cold beverage creations! Well, when we were handed the quintessential cup and given some creative freedom, we had the opportunity to perfect the art of custom corporate award development.
That day, we used one of our team member’s favorite QT creations as inspiration. It goes like this:
- Fill cup with ice cubes.
- Dispense 8 seconds’ worth of cherry syrup
- Flood cup almost to the top with Dr. Pepper
- Hit it one more time with cherry syrup, for good measure
- Grab QT straw and stir, don’t shake (sorry, James Bond)
- Drink up!
We did. Our cherry syrup Dr. Pepper was half empty by the time we mounted it to the elegant black base and affixed the customized plaque. But before all that happened, we had to build our beverage.
Our self-serve fountain drink began by filling the cup with hand-crafted ice cubes. We created these by blasting chunks of clear acrylic with a blow torch in order to achieve a melted cube effect. Our cubes were then placed in the cup in front of a silver cylinder used to refract light and create a glistening effect like the ice in your favorite QT beverage.
For the cherry flavored Dr. Pepper liquid, we used our own resin and oil paint combo in order to fabricate a material that would flow, yet dry to a solid. And, we were able to develop the perfect color. We then manipulated the material to surround our acrylic ice cubes and fill the red straw. The exterior of the cup was marked with a couple of droplets – the kind that happen when you’re moving a little too fast and not all of your favorite fountain drink makes it into your mouth. Thank goodness for refills!
We remember the early days of refills fondly. When our neighborhood QT had its Grand Opening, we would make several trips a day to refill our favorite reusable cup. QuikTrip just keeps creating great memories for the gang here at Tempe Trophy.
Having the opportunity to show off our creativity, and making it happen in such a short window of time was a pretty amazing experience. Thanks for all of the nostalgic moments, QT!
#TempeTrophy #EngravableZ #CustomAwards