About Us
Official Use Only is an award-winning San Diego industrial design consultancy specializing in transforming good products into market breakthroughs. We help ambitious companies—from well-funded startups to established enterprises—find overlooked opportunities that create competitive advantage.
Our approach combines strategic intelligence gathering with award-winning design execution. We don't just respond to briefs; we hunt for the visual languages, market gaps, and positioning angles that everyone else is missing. The result: products that are talk-worthy enough to generate buzz, yet refined enough to feel timeless.
Led by Michael Kritzer (Red Dot, iF Design Awards), our team brings experience from top-tier agencies like Crispin Porter + Bogusky and One & Co. Recent recognition includes Red Dot Awards for the ME-1 power management system (2020), Sake Dolls (2021), and Island Router (2023), plus an iF Design Award for the Island Router (2022).
We've helped clients across consumer electronics, furniture, spirits, and emerging technologies create products that generate press coverage, competitive attention, and customer evangelism. Our work spans everything from networking equipment that brings enterprise power to residential aesthetics, to heritage wine brands requiring diplomatic stakeholder management.
Services include Industrial Design, Branding & Visual Identity, Packaging Design, and Product & Brand Strategy. We work internationally, with particular expertise in US, European, and Asian markets.
Awards
- Integrated Campaigns - Flame by BK Communication Arts Advertising Annual 2009
- Shortlist - Charlie's Tree Design Boom 2009
- “New Category” Silver - Flame by BK London Advertising Awards 2009
- Innovative Media - Flame by BK One Show 2009
- Cannes - Flame by BK Cannes Lions 2009
- HTC Touch Diamond - HTC Touch Diamond Red Dot Awards 2009
- Best of 2010 - B-cylce Ad Age 2010
- 5 Most Innovative Transportation Companies - B-cycle Fast Company 2011
- Optimizing & Production Interaction Award - B-cycle IxDA 2012
- Highly Commended labels - Frogtown Cellars FINAT Label Awards 2013
- WinnBronze - Domino's DXPer and Shorty Audience Honor - Domino's Shorty Awards 2016
- WinnBronze - Domino's DXPer and Shorty Audience Honor - Domino's Epica 2016
- Promo & Activation Silver Lion - Domino's DXP Cannes Lions 2016
- Gold - Domino's DXP Isaac Awards 2017
- ME-1 Red Dot Award 2020
- Sake Dolls Red Dot Award 2021
- Island Router iF Design Award 2022
- Island Router Red Dot Award 2023