mariapilarstudio

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Developed Calendar

After that really interesting study from Ou, 2020, which stated that Gen Z is over 80% likely to celebrate a pet’s birthday and 43% likely to dress our pets up for festive occasions, making us the most likely generation to do so, I decided to revamp the Rescue Special Calendar, as I felt that this would be the most effective collateral to display this research in - it already featured individual dogs, and what’s cuter than a dog in a costume? Plus, I feel like it would be even more enticing for viewers/purchasers of the calendar to adopt said dogs. 

I decided the most recognisable and celebrated festivities in New Zealand were Halloween and Christmas, and so decided to an October spooky-themed page with a dog in a ghost costume, while December features a dog in a Santa hat and surrounded by star Christmas baubles. One other feature that I’ve added to the calendar that it didn’t previously have is the ‘Ft. X’ section. For example, October ft. Tulip, December ft. Agate. I was really struggling to figure out how to include the dogs’ names in the calendar - I tried having it directly above the dog or even wrapped around their silhouette, but it just felt out of place. I finally experimented with their names below the month - as if to say, this month’s rescue special is... but that was too many words. 

I decided to try featuring - but decided that the abbreviation ‘ft.’ was more generation appropriate, and almost felt like they were guest artists featuring on a song. This vibe was perfect - uplifting and celebrating and focusing totally on the featured dog, instead of treating it like a drag or a burden or a charity case. 

For Gemini, I didn’t do a recognisable holiday as there won't be a holiday for every month - but a lot of the Auckland Council adoptable have fun names - Geminis are born in a certain astrological period, so I decided to capitalise on that and have her featured in her birth month with birthday celebration accessories. 

In future iterations, it would be interesting to see what else I could do - could I continue to play on dogs’ names? Eg - have Rowan the husky surrounded by rowan berries? Have Tulip surrounded by tulips? Or could I do it seasonally? And just have the dogs in weather-appropriate garb, instead of holiday garb for the months like February/august/September when there are no super recognisable holidays? 

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Rescue Special Website - Community Resources

Going off the momentum I had mocking up that Shop section on the Rescue Special Website, I decided to create a Community Page on the website where I could actually use some of the interviews that I conducted and display some of the real photos submitted, not just the illustrated portraits. This way, people who visit the website after seeing the Polaroid Posters (which have the body copy: to find out more about x and y’s story, visit our website...) can actually access success stories and tips. I also thought this was a really cool way to further integrate the campaign - actually set up the (fake) website and the stories that people could find if the posters caught their attention. 

Again, I wanted to keep things cohesive, so kept the home bar the same, except mimicked the effect of clicking on the links and resources page and being able to select the ‘hear from the community’ option. I think if I had more time, I would definitely play around with layout a bit more, but I’m happy with these: the interviews are short, sharp, sweet, accompanied by photos, and the title is apt: these are real people and real dogs who have real stories. I especially like this collateral because it uses actual voices and research that I conducted, and I think it would be really beneficial in a campaign for people to receive that kind of support and know that there are people out there who have successfully rescued dogs and are now living their best lives. 

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Rescue Special Website

In order to better visualise and explain the idea of the charity pet portraits, I decided to mock them up not only In-Situ in clients’ homes, but on the website that you could order them from. 

I modelled it off the Etsy website and options to pay for custom portraits:

I like how clear and straightforward the process is on Etsy - you select the number of people and pets and background color and even have the option to add personalisation. 

For the Rescue Special portraits and website, I decided against having an option to pick the background color - since they’re still part of the campaign, they need to be cohesive, thus it will remain Rescue Special Teal. I’m happy with how this turned out, as I think it will fit into my project document well and will act better than any written description that I could type out. If time allowed it, I would love to program this actually on Adobe XD and maybe finally figure out the idea of an image carousel, as well as buttons, but for now, I created this on Illustrator and used the Outer Glow effect to mimic the effect of buttons and selection. 

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Collage Kit Idea ?

One really interesting idea that Rodrigo had was to create kits based on breeds of dogs - eg, a German Shepherd kit, a Golden Retriever Kit, etc. I really did consider this. However, after some reflection and brainstorming, I actually think this kit would act in the opposite direction of what Rescue Special stands for - Rescue Special is all about dogs who are considered ‘mutts’ - who don’t have a definable breed and, to some people, are less desirable because of that. While purebred dogs are gorgeous and deserve love, this campaign is about our Rescue Specials - stand-out, individual, quirky dogs who are a whole lot of something. As well as this, it would be really difficult to create a kit, as I don’t have easy access to photograph pure bred dogs, whereas I’ve had lots of submissions of photos that people have permitted me to use in my campaign - and I do believe that it’s this mix of personalisation and pre-made prints and ability to customise the collage kit that would make it successful, rather than just having an entirely pre-planned kit. 

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Developed Stigma Posters

The stigma posters also needed logos. I tried it with the word mark logo but it felt too busy - thus, decided on using the exclamation point version of the logo. This feels appropriate - celebratory and uplifting, just like an exclamation mark conveys. 

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Developed Posters

I realised that even though the design system was working cohesively, I still needed to add the Rescue Logo Special to really tie everything together. Unlike the RESCUE DOG stigma posters, these ones have slightly different body copies - are all rescue dogs aggressive vs do all rescue dogs have poor health? just to tackle as many myths as possible. I definitely agree it works better with the logo. I also changed the ‘Lol, Nope’ from Sofia Pro to Fat-Frank - though it works with Sofia Pro, I feel like the heavy quirky nature of the Fat Frank font better equips the statement, and also breaks some of the monotony of having all the body copy in Sofia pro. 

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More Type Posters

I wanted to create more typographic posters that focused on debunking harmful myths this time. It was a suggestion made way back and originally, I was just going to format it as: Myth x vs Truth: y, however, I decided that I wanted to create something more engaging and relevant to the target audience. Thus, combining the humour and cheekiness of ‘Lol, nope!’ in response to the (untrue) belief that all rescue dogs are aggressive - I think this is the best approach, as David pointed out it’s funny in a relevant Gen Z way, but also a little bit cheeky, as in - ‘cmon, man. get educated!’ and that is the crux of this campaign, so it fits perfectly. I’m also really pleased with how it leads into the slogan of the campaign - no, it’s not true all rescue dogs are aggressive: every dog has their quirks. Adopt today. 

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New Set of Posters

As I was drafting up my project document, I was able to fully put into words the purpose of Rescue Special: to inform, empower, and uplift future rescue owners and their dogs. Thus, I realised there was a form of collateral missing from my campaign and that was the informational kind - since lots of misinformation comes around harmful myths and stigma, it’s important for Rescue Special to address that. As well as that, I recall earlier in the semester when Sophie pointed out that not everyone knows what a rescue dog is - some people get confused and think it’s a dog that helps rescue people. Therefore, I can kill two birds with one stone and create a new set of posters debunking stigma and myths. I also wanted these to be purely typographical, as I’ve been doing a lot of imagery-based collaterals and I wanted to push myself to create within the design system using just type. 

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Correlation between NZ Covid-19 Lockdowns and Pet Adoption Rates

Centre, S. A. (2020, September 22). Covid-19 coronavirus: Over 800 animals adopted after SPCA plea for help. NZ Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-coronavirus-over-800-animals-adopted-after-spca-plea-for-help/F7YF7P7KREXGWJ3JOVUHYZDO5I/

Takeaway:

There is a correlation between Covid-19 Lockdowns and pet adoption rates, which is important to contextualise my campaign - as people are staying at home for extended periods of time and becoming interested in a furry companion, Rescue Special can urge NZers to remember the hundreds of dogs in shelters, rather than buy from breeders.

SPCA CEO Andrea Midgen said it was the perfect time for animal lovers to adopt a furry friend.

"Now is an ideal time to adopt, as many families will be spending time at home.

"That means lots of quality time to spend with your new furry family member. Kiwis who adopt an animal give them a second chance and a loving home for life."

And New Zealanders responded to the call in droves, with 828 animals adopted in the only a few days.

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Gen Z and Dogs - Research

Before continuing onto my Project Document, I wanted to gather more data for my Campaign Research Section, specifically information about Gen Z and dogs/pets - I realised that I had a lot of qualitative information about why rescue dogs rock, and quantitative information about how many dogs are getting abandoned/rescued in NZ, but I have very little research on how Gen Z and their pet dogs actually interact. 

This article by Steve King put it really aptly: 

King, S. (2019, September 1). Gen Z & the Power of the Human-Animal Bond. Https://Www.Petbusiness.Com/Archives/Gen-z-the-Power-of-the-Human-Animal-Bond/Article_725d6054-2b1a-5b9b-A18e-C9452f7e3fc9.Html. Retrieved October 18, 2021, from https://www.petbusiness.com/archives/gen-z-the-power-of-the-human-animal-bond/article_725d6054-2b1a-5b9b-a18e-c9452f7e3fc9.html

Though the primary focus of the pet market is still millennials, we should really start considering Gen Z as the next generation of pet owners - hence where campaigns such as Rescue Special come in - empowering young people with information, advice, resources, and awareness about adopting a dog instead of buying them. 

I found this study about Gen Z ‘redefining their relationship with pets’ 

Ou, G. (2020, September 8). Gen Z-ers: Pet Ownership Redefined. Segmanta. https://segmanta.com/blog/gen-z-ers-pet-ownership-redefined/

There were lots of interesting points, including how Gen Z is more likely to provide a healthy, eco-conscious diet for their pet, but here are the key takeaways that I found most important for my campaign. 

I find this interesting because I’ve certainly heard of ‘millennial dog moms’ who like to dress their dogs up and spoil them, and I didn’t realise the trait had passed onto Gen Z. I find this kind of cute, and I guess I’d be a liar if I didn’t make a big instagram post about the one year ‘Ford-iversary’ myself. 

I will definitely include this information in my research. Gen Z is going under an immense amount of pressure to deal with social issues, and knowing that pets are good for our mental health (and having it backed up by valid research) is powerful. (92 percent!) The 43% saying it makes them feel more responsible is also key - we are the next generation to grow up, graduate college, get jobs, be adults. 

Also, perhaps for the making connections section - Covid19 struck everyone really hard, but especially younger generations going through online uni and school - has covid caused a higher rate of people adopting dogs? Good to look into* 

I was actually so fascinated by this revelation that Gen Z is the generation most likely to dress their dogs up so I did more research - specifically, into how marketing, pet shops, pet campaigns, and vets feel about it. 

Facts, P. (2018, December 18). Pet Marketers Must Appeal to the Special Way Gen Z and Millennials Bond With Their Dogs and Cats, reports Packaged Facts. PR Newswire. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pet-marketers-must-appeal-to-the-special-way-gen-z-and-millennials-bond-with-their-dogs-and-cats-reports-packaged-facts-300768206.html

I am therefore unsurprised to find information saying to really appeal to Gen Z, we must look into that emotional bond. With this knowledge, I will definitely have to edit the Rescue Special Calendar to reflect this (dogs in ghost costumes, anyone?)

However, while the first three studies I mentioned were all good for information on how Gen Z feels towards their pets, they were all American studies and I wanted to bring the research closer to home. This is an analysis of companion animals (aka domestic pets) in New Zealand. 

Camorra Research Ltd, & Paul, A. (2020). Companion Animals New Zealand 2020. Companion Animals New Zealand Publication. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d1bf13a3f8e880001289eeb/t/5f768e8a17377653bd1eebef/1601605338749/Companion+Animals+in+NZ+2020+%281%29.pdf

I discovered that dogs are the second most popular companion animal in NZ, after cats. From there, these are some interesting statistics regarding age of ownership demographics. 

Pets are most common in houses with children aged 9 - 17, which includes a hefty chunk of Gen Z (which I define as between 1997 - 2012, so 9 - 24 year olds)

It’s super interesting to me that in 2020, 47% of companion dogs were owned by people under 25. Then, the fact that 42% of those dog owning households had children 0 - 8 (slightly below Gen Z age) and 37% of households had kids aged 9 - 17 (target demographic)

[mariapilarstudio]

Rescue Special Collage Kits

I am really happy with how these kits turned out. I think choosing to have a mix of personalized and customisable photos/illustrations that clients can upload as well as pre-made patterns and lyric prints works really well. I decided that Rescue Special Collage Kits can come in three themes, just so that it’s easier to pick the pre-made patterns and prints. 

There’s the Blue Kit: 

Red Kit

Cream Kit

I honestly believe that these are super aesthetic and would be the perfect addition to the Gen Z bedroom - just the right amount of customised material and aesthetic prints. 

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Inspiration

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Rescue Special Collage Kit

A first look at what the Rescue Special Collage Kit could look like, as a mixture of personalized images and preset quotes, prints, and artwork. This is a very base iteration to help me think of what to include, and I think I can start to see it coming together - a mixture of photography, illustration, and typography. Since it is still part of my campaign, it sticks to a color scheme - I think Rescue Special Collage Kits will come in either the Blue Kit, Red Kit, or Cream Kit. This would be the Blue Kit. I want each kit to have a balance of preset materials and artworks - like the rescue special logo in the top left corner (which I feel like is inconspicuous enough to pass off as a print); the print of lots of different dog outlines; and some of my favorite lyrics from that playlist I made. It could also be fun to include an option to upload your commissioned pet portrait in the kit as well. 

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Relating My Aesthetic Research Back to My Campaign

Now that I’ve explored further into what Gen Z aesthetics really look like, I want to find a way to make it relevant to my campaign. A lot of those bedrooms that I looked into were just printed at home, using pretty images found online, which would be hard to collate to my campaign - I feel like I can’t just upload images to the Rescue Special Website and have people print them out from there. It just wouldn’t be effective. 

However, the solution to this, is 

Collage Kit

What is a collage kit?

Let’s be real - not everybody has time to meticulously curate aesthetic images from Pinterest, print them out, cut them out, assemble them, and stick them to their walls. This is where collage kits come in. Collage kits are on the rise with Gen Z - pre-cut, selected, and packaged images that you can order online and decorate your walls with however you like. The best thing about collage packs is that you can pick the theme you want. 

Here are some examples from Amazon:

Here are some pre-selected themes by Tezza https://www.shoptezza.com/collections/collage-kit

I feel like a dog-themed Collage Pack would be an incredibly effective collateral for Rescue Special: 

Once again, it uses my strengths as an illustrator, thereby fitting in with the rest of the campaign. 

It’s a tactile collateral that’s still somewhat experiential - by purchasing a Rescue Special™  Collage Pack, all proceeds go to the campaign and their allocated shelters 

It’s a collateral for everyone - just like the pet portraits, this outcome is not limited to people who are looking to adopt a dog. Anybody who wants to support the campaign and get something pretty in return can participate. GenZers who have dogs that aren’t necessarily rescues, or aren’t in places to adopt just yet, but want to support rescue dogs and helping NZ’s dogs in needs can easily buy a collage pack and still make a contribution!

Some would argue that collage packs may be convenient but they take the fun out of personalising your room - and Rescue Special, after all, is a campaign that celebrates the individuality of your dog and your relationship with them. So why not have personalised collage kits, where you upload your own pictures/files and have them printed, cut, and sent to you, ready to put up?

PersnicketyPrints is a great example of this. I’m so happy I stumbled upon their site, otherwise I wouldn’t have known whether or not personalised collage kits were feasible. 

https://www.persnicketyprints.com/products/collage-kit/

The way that PersnicketyPrints works is that you upload 100 (or more) photos to their collage building software that fits into a preset size (8.5x11) and they will send you the photos printed out in a loose bundle. 

As well as that, it offers free word art and affirmations in their software category - this could be a cool idea for the Rescue Special Collage Kit - a mix of personalised and preset papers?

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Continued Research into Gen Z Bedroom Aesthetics

E. (2021, September 8). What Are “The Young People” Into? It’s Called “Aesthetic” and “Avant Basic” I Had No Idea, And Now I Do. Emily Henderson. https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/gen-z-interior-design-trends-explained

AKA: aesthetics are different for everyone, and a form of expression of what you personally like HOWEVER while the subject matter of everyone’s aesthetics might be different (some people like Harry Styles prints, others like quotes, others like pretty pictures of the sunset), there are some similarities in how these aesthetics are portrayed. 

KEY WORDS: ABUNDANCE OF RECORDS, MAGAZINE CUTOUTS, PHOTOS ON YOUR WALL. 

here are some screenshots of research from that article. 

Again, a style and trend is becoming abundantly clear:

Polaroids, prints, cut out photos, all done in wall collages - and not done professionally, either: there is nothing in frames or on fancy paper - it’s very Gen Z DIY (decorate it yourself!) and aesthetic. 

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Gen Z Interior Aesthetics

A look into how GenZers are decorating their bedrooms.

Merrilees, K. (2020, October 16). Teens’ Bedrooms Are Cooler Than Ever - Kristin Merrilees. Medium. https://kristinmerrilees.medium.com/teens-bedrooms-are-cooler-than-ever-3708d98eb4bc

Here’s a TikTok example from the article showing the ‘typical Gen Z bedroom’

https://www.tiktok.com/@oliviarcollis/video/6796393720104127750?refer=embed

Key takeaways from this article:

Lights

Posters

Print cut outs

COLLAGES

I find this really interesting and know this to be true: have a look at any Gen Z room and it will be absolutely covered in movie posters, aesthetic prints found on Pinterest, pictures of celebrities, quotes, pretty images, and anything else that represents them as a person. I myself have a huge collage wall in my room. 

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Keeping up with the Trends - What are the latest Gen Z “Aesthetics”?

Adhav, L. (2021, February 24). 10 Types of Aesthetics If You Want to Switch up Your Wardrobe ~Vibes~. Cosmopolitan. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/fashion/a35585878/types-of-aesthetics/

Though these aesthetics seem applicable only to fashion at first glance, it’s important to remember about Gen Z that aesthetics transcend from fashion to living spaces, such as bedrooms and lounges and interior design - it just starts with clothes. 

Aesthetics that I think my tactile collateral could fit well with:

Soft Girl

Art Hoe

Cottage Core

These aesthetics all cherish pretty decorations, animals, expression, and things that Rescue Special stands for. Let’s have a look at their bedrooms.