The Happiness Index: Love and Relationships in America
Company eharmony
Introduction Date February 8, 2018
Project Website http://www.eharmonyhappinessindex.com
Why is this project worthy of an award?
More than half of all Americans have tried dating online and now these millions and millions of people know even more about what factors impact lasting connection because of the Happiness Index, the first major research initiative commissioned on relationship happiness. Since 2000, eharmony has been helping people live fulfilled and enriched lives by creating highly compatible relationships based on key dimensions of personality that predict long-term relationship success and happiness. Every dating app can’t just call itself a relationship company. Human connection takes work and years of experience to understand, something eharmony has been doing for nearly two decades. Following the company’s stunningly sleek rebrand in 2017, eharmony took back ownership of what it knows better than anyone else: relationships. Thousands of non-eharmony users at any age and in any type of relationships. The new research shows opposites attract then attack, confirms evolving gender dynamics within relationships and debunks misconceptions long held about men and millennials. The research findings are available to the public at www.eharmonyhappinessindex.com, a new beautifully-designed, interactive website dedicated to happy relationships - #happyinlove.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
The Happiness Index is the first study inclusive of couples of all ages, sexes, regions, sexual identities, sexual orientations and relationship statuses, including those who identify as polyamorous or in open relationships. The results not only reveal if people are happy or unhappy but which specific aspects of their lives impact overall happiness in their relationships. The survey was strategically designed to assess satisfaction and happiness towards career, income, family, communication, sex, health, romance, friendship, age, gender and many other factors.
Who worked on the project?
Jeannie Assimos - VP, Content Shaily Savla - Creative Director Cara Covington - Lead Web Designer
View the project video: https://www.eharmonyhappinessindex.com/
The House of Beer
Why is this project worthy of an award?
With over a 100-year history in Japanese sake making, our client needed our help to make their amazing craft beer relevant. The existing packaging didn’t speak to the brand’s unique heritage and the design was similar to that of mainstream, non-craft domestic Japanese brands. The brief was to rebrand to bring out the DNA of the client’s unique homemade beer. The House of Beer We looked to the roots of their brand and discovered their cornerstone in the art of Japanese craft beer making – it is all about the moments in time and uniquely Japanese approach that originates from the Kura, or house, where the beer is made. The single-minded focus on the house of beer attracts the core consumer target who respects the tradition of the Kura and its role in creating an authentic craft beer. It was a pro bono project to support Tohoku earthquake business recovery with no budget provided. We are passionate about and proud of the cultural contribution the branding project has made in Japan to increase awareness of the traditions of the Kura, or beer house. The client is based in Iwate, an area heavily impacted by the Tohoku earthquake in March 2011. Our work has helped their recovery and awareness of their triumph in continuing their art of sake and beer, making despite the natural disaster that could have closed their business. The outcome was the successful repositioning of the brand as hip, relevant and owning the art and mystique of a uniquely Japanese product. The “House of Beer” concept has led to the rebirth of cultural awareness in the importance of the Kura and art of Japanese craftsmanship. The motivation of the staff is record-high and media coverage has been favorable.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Playing on the word for beer house, “kura,” as it sounds like “cra” in craft, we rebranded around the product and “kura-fted” the concept around the authentic elements derived directly from the beer house. We even extended the idea into the brand font, or “typo-kura-phy.” All the “kura-phic” patterns and elements were actually designed with traditional Japanese techniques and ink. Applications included everything one would find at a stylish craft-beer bar – coasters, entrance curtain (noren), signage, and the labels themselves. The outcome was the successful repositioning of the brand as hip, relevant and owning the art and mystique of a uniquely Japanese product.
Who worked on the project?
Yosh Oshima: Creative Director, Kotaro Kobayashi: Design Director, Masayuki Urushibara: Design Director, Chiharu Otake: Senior Designer
View the project video: https://youtu.be/6XkLCP89oKs
The Lost Art of Innovating from the Core
Company Bluedog Design
Introduction Date February 1, 2017
Project Website http://www.bluedogdesign.com
Why is this project worthy of an award?
· Importance: Water Softening is Morton’s largest consumer business with national distribution across all outlets that play in the category · Situation: o Category in decline o Retailer margins compressed as they competed on price o Viewed as a functional category with limited product differentiation o Major consumer barriers exists · Driving HH penetration requires large upfront cost, education and hassle · The “chore” of maintaining your softener (weight, handling/storage, frequency) · Problem: o Morton knew they played a critical role in consumers lives, but did not know to what extent and how to effectively communicate this to consumers. o Morton wished to launch innovation in category, but through their exploration learned that the base wasn’t ready to be built upon, it had to be raised. o Talking to consumers about how we would meet their future needs could not be done until the brand could properly communicate how needs were being met today. Thinking differently about problems to inform a strategy is critical for growth. The typical ways to impact a penetration strategy were not applicable here as the barriers for consumers are high. One has to purchase a water softening system, hire a plumber and be committed to the ongoing maintenance of adding water softening pellets. In an effort to overcome these barriers to growth, the Morton leadership team intentionally took a step back to truly understand how to connect the consumer to the category. Bluedog Design, a growth and innovation firm in Chicago, played a robust role in tandem with Morton’s leadership initiative in 2016 to identify and address latent potential in the water sof-tening category. What began as “just a packaging change” for their core commodity brand evolved to a deep understanding of the role the brand plays in consumer’s lives and the value the brand creates for them. The conversation was shifted massively from “how does salt work in my water softener” to “how can Morton improve the quality of my water!” A qualitative and quantitative learning plan sparked new knowledge. The category is an emo-tional category as water plays a major role in people’s lives everywhere. It touches our bodies. We drink it. If we have hard water, the skin can be itchy. Water nourishes us. Feedback from consumers told us that investing, and repositioning of our portfolio was a big opportunity. The work streams encompassed consumer learning, brand architecture, portfolio restructure, naming, packaging design, resulted in a consumer understanding that grew the category at 2% and for some retail partners double digit growth. The Morton and Bluedog teams discovered something profound: water softener wasn’t func-tional, it was emotional! Consumers spoke with great conviction about the impacts of water on their skin and hair – problems they faced without softened water. The team stepped back and took a hard look at what the category was “saying” through the brand’s packaging and product nomenclature, in-store communication and underwent a brand renovation.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
1. Growth in ‘commodity categories’ is often seen as unattainable. In the case of Morton water softening pellets, a growth strategy was implemented and proven out without a single product innovation. 2. The portfolio relaunch was predicated on the knowledge that the portfolio’s largest SKU, System Saver II, wasn’t recalled, known or deemed valuable by consumers. Imag-ine, the best-selling product in the line-up was the #1 opportunity for change. 3. Design Makes Strategy Visible. Consumers can now more easily identify what they value in water softener, and confidently make a choice that will improve their at-home expe-rience. 4. By relaunching the portfolio with naming that highlights the consumer need and icons that deliver the emotional connection, following through with exceptional store educa-tion programs, Morton ensured the emotional benefits were known. This effort trans-formed how the business shows up, secured Morton’s role as the category leader and opens doors for future innovations. 5. In what started as a packaging redesign project to unite the portfolio, Bluedog Design’s team went beyond the ask and unlocked key emotional benefits with true reasons to believe that resonated with the consumer needs in the category. 6. The comprehensive work impacted portfolio strategy, architecture, naming, ecosystem (POS and Shopper), and of course, packaging.
Who worked on the project?
Bluedog Design
View the project video:
theSkimm: Reinventing Designing Native Ads
Company theSkimm
Introduction Date May 1, 2017
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
theSkimm has a highly engaged and loyal audience of millions of female millennials. In order to maintain this trust, theSkimm works only with brands that further the company’s mission of making it easier to be smarter within this demographic’s routines. theSkimm has worked with more than 100 brands, including Apple, FOX, STARZ, ABC, American Express, Buick, Capital One, Casper, Dunkin’ Donuts, ESPN, Samsung, HelloFresh, Netflix, Sherwin Williams, Shopbop, Swiffer, and Target, among others. One of the most popular partnership campaigns comes in the form of a “logo takeover” in the Daily Skimm newsletter, reaching an active subscriber base of approximately 7 million. theSkimm’s design team concepts, sketches, and designs each of these custom illustrations and animations. The goal of each campaign is to maintain an organic visual brand integration above the fold of our newsletter, while informing readers about new products, brands and promotions through design. Blending theSkimm’s brand character, Skimm Girl, with either a routine, product, or setting that our partners are promoting. Skimm Girl has a distinct voice, style, and life; she continues to evolve through life milestones such as moving, getting a car, voting, etc.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
In logo takeovers, Skimm Girl takes on many personas and exists fictitiously in new scenarios, representing the brand partner. For example she is not a tennis pro, but when working with our partner FOX to promote Battle of the Sexes, she takes on characteristic of Billie Jean King and other strong female role models. The design process includes the merging of brand aesthetics -- theSkimm works to integrate the partner’s brand and campaign guidelines with theSkimm’s own style guidelines. The idea is to create scenes that Skimm’rs have either experienced and can relate to (online shopping during cyber week, ordering take out with friends, and traveling). Ads in the newsletter are clickable and typically lead to clients sites to further promote their products. We can also animate these illustrations bringing Skimm Girl and these scenarios to life, and allowing us to advertise more complex offerings (ex. illustrating how bright paint colors can transform a living space). The logos are designed as still illustrations in Adobe Illustrator and then animated to enhance what we are showcasing in the campaign in Adobe After Effects. The addition of motion really opens up the possibilities of how Skimm Girl and her environment could be showcased. We feel the motion truly brings our brand character to life, and thus, even more relatable to our audience.
Who worked on the project?
Michael Gray - Design Skimm’r Jacqui McCullough - Design Skimm’r Minhee Kim - Design Skimm’r
View the project video:
The You Inside Project
Company lg2
Introduction Date June 14, 2017
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
Gender Creative Kids Canada is a not-for-profit trans rights advocacy organization in Montreal, founded by the parents of transgender children. Awareness of transgender rights has increased significantly in recent years, but so has transphobia. And transphobia is incredibly harmful, with research reporting that 41% of trans people have attempted suicide. Within this context, they came to us with an open brief: to make the world a more accepting place for trans youth. Our most critical insight was that nobody is born transphobic. It is learned behaviour. In order to achieve meaningful cultural change, we needed to find a way to stop transphobia before it starts. Meet Sam. The world’s first educational transgender toy. We first launched The You Inside Project with the short film "Sam’s Story", which introduced the world to Sam as both an animated character and a toy. The toy design is based on familiar Russian nesting dolls so that children can easily identify the different emotional stages many young people go through while questioning their gender identity. The character design is simple, allowing children to understand what Sam is feeling at each step, and why. "Sam’s Story" attracted more than 1 million organic views and significant international coverage from news and culture sites, LGBTQ advocacy groups, celebrities and design organizations. Passionate support for Sam came from Mashable, Upworthy and George Takei in the U.S., as well as sites throughout Europe, Asia and Australia. The film generated 3.5K shares, 7.3K comments and one very angry video from Canada’s far-right Rebel Media. This visibility helped Sam attract an additional $104,500 CAN in production funding and $100,000 CAN in funding for the larger mission of Gender Creative Kids Canada, by far the largest single donation in their history. The bold colour palette and facial expressions of the toy quickly convey the intended emotion at each stage while common elements connect the characters. Donations funded production of 500 toys for Canadian schools, designed and manufactured in partnership with Pretty In Plastic out of BPA-free PVC vinyl using rotational moulding and spray mask/hand-painting. Each stage of the character was also brought to life in the film, deepening the emotional connection children feel for Sam. The character design needed to function as both a physical toy and as an animated character, optimizing the emotional possibilities of each media while ensuring a connection between the two. Sam’s Story may just be starting in schools and homes across Canada, but it has already started millions of essential conversations about what it means to grow up transgender.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Canada, like much of the world, is only beginning to address transgender rights. Until recently, it was a taboo and grossly misunderstood subject. Today, trans actors, models, athletes and public personalities appear in films, shows, interviews and on magazine covers. But transphobia is still rampant. And it remains culturally acceptable in a way that racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination no longer are. Children that grow up questioning their gender identity are especially vulnerable to emotional trauma because of this cultural dismissal of who they are. Gender Creative Kids Canada has done incredible work at the government level, advocating for new laws to ensure that people can self-identify their gender for official purposes in Quebec. But trans youth still struggle every day with acceptance and understanding, especially at school. From bathrooms to sports teams, schools have become a battleground for gender issues. The You Inside Project is designed for this battleground, defusing the anger and hate that stems from misunderstanding and confusion by educating children, their parents, their teachers and society at large about what it means to grow up transgender. Targeting children directly with such controversial subject matter also allowed us to address the public at large, forcing people on all sides of the issue to engage in a conversation about what it means to grow up transgender, a topic that remains very sensitive in most cultures around the world. Sam was launched as the centrepiece of The You Inside Project, a unique educational program designed for teachers, psychologists, parents and childcare professionals to directly communicate our message of empathy and understanding to children in a way they could easily understand. The project also includes the short film and an educational booklet. The greatest challenge we faced was how to create maximum impact with a budget of $0. The entire project was made possible by corporate donations, a provincial government grant and countless donated hours of work from the agency and its partners. Gender identity is an incredibly personal, complex and sensitive subject. Sam is not intended to represent the experiences of all transgender youth, but rather to show some of the most common emotions young people go through when questioning their gender. We chose to represent a female to male transition because it offered more graphic storytelling opportunities. We made Sam’s race (skin, hair, eye colour) as neutral as possible. The film was created in partnership with a filmmaker from the National Film Board of Canada and funded by the government grant. The song in "Sam’s Story" is a rerecording of Roxette’s number one single "Listen to Your Heart". The band was so touched by the project, they donated the rights to the track. The toy was designed in collaboration with a Montreal design studio and validated by two psychologists. Sam is a little toy with a big mission: To stop transphobia before it starts.
Who worked on the project?
Marc Fortin (Executive Creative Director); Claude Auchu (Head of Design, Executive Creative Director); Alexis Robin (Head of Digital); Stuart Macmillan (Creative Director, Copywriter, Creative Conception and Development); Jean-Philippe Dugal (Graphic Designer, Art Director, Creative Conception and Development); Stephanie Pellicer (Account Director, Creative Conception and Development); François Royer Mireault (Planner, Creative Conception and Development); Claudia Lemire (Producer); Martin Henri (Producer); Rodolphe St-Gelais (Illustration / animation).
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/266758066
