QUTIES is a promotional campaign that brings awareness to the youth about the LGBTQ community. It encourages audiences who are struggling with their sexuality or gender identity to seek help as well. Each QUTIES has their own unique personality and goals; while their sexuality is important, it does not define them. There are two main mediums that are connected: the app and card game. The app is a puzzle game where you can match the QUTIES together to earn points. The cards are collectible items that can be entered into the app to collect characters that have power ups in game play.
The Problem
There is a lack of LGBTQ media targeting youth because it is seen as controversial to parents. The youth may be uneducated or misinformed about the community.
The Goal
The solution should be subtle, but easily recognizable to children. The goal is to bring awareness to youth and encourage anyone struggling to seek help.
“We want the audience to see accepting LGBTQ people as a positive, fulfilling action and as more important and beneficial than rejecting them through societal pressures”
Target Audience
Youth aged 11-18 in America in middle school and high school. Possibly struggling with their own sexual or gender identities and want to be accepted by their peers.
Tone and Manner
Fun, cute and colourful. Along with bright colours and rounded forms to seem more welcoming. Illustration based to appeal to target audience. Using an app and game.
Final Deliverables
Collectible Cards
Mobile App
Information Card - Collectible card included
Process
Initial Sketches
The initial prompt I was given was to create a campaign to promote LGBTQ awareness. Initially, I started with a basic approach and thought about using more traditional media like billboards, bus ads and websites. However, as I kept developing my ideas, I thought about using characters to appeal to the youth.
The character designs were based on the designs from Inside Out, Wreck it Ralph 2 and Disney’s Tsum Tsum. I began by sketching simple designs that focused on rounder shapes because they appear more friendly. I wanted to create 6 characters to represent the colours of the rainbow and the letters of the campaign’s name, QUTIES.
Character Development
I used 3 character bases and changed the hair, clothes, face, body shape and head shape for each to create 6 unique characters.
Logo Development
Initial logo development. One of the first names I tried out was Love, Hue (a pun on saying Love, you). However, I found that it looked too mature for the target audience. I tried using the character’s head as the logo as well, but ended up with the simpler logo with just the word “QUTIES”. I made a heart out of the Q by extending the line and added the colours of the rainbow to the letters as well.
Further logo development. I found that the initial logo I had made was too corporate. I wanted to make something that was looser and more child like. I tried to draw it out by hand, scanning it and further manipulating it, but it was too complicated. I ended up choosing a rounded font that looked friendly and simple. Finally, I edited the tail of the “Q” to fit nicer in the logo and added a heart within the bowl of the “Q”
Card Development
Initially, I used point form to show the traits of the character and had the name under the character. I changed the layout of the card to move the name and the symbols representing their gender and sexuality to the top. Next, I rewrote the traits in sentences to express more personality. I added the character’s icon to the top left because it would be used in the game and is an important identifier. Overall, I made the layout cleaner and rounder. In the last iteration, I moved the speech bubble to the left and added a light scribble overlay in the background that matched the back of the cards.
Game Development
I began with a simple grid format and added the character icons in one by one. Then, I added alternating coloured squares to create more differentiation. I made other elements as well, such as the power up icons, scoring system and hint button. I decided to change the coloured squares to a light blue colour because the grey looked too dull. Finally, I created another state of the game when a match is made and used it the app store advertisement.
What I learned
Don't go with your first idea
…because it usually isn’t your best. I had to explore a lot of different angles before I decided on using a card game. I only thought of using a connected app afterwards too.
Always think of your target audience
…and what they would want. Throughout my design journey, I kept making designs that were too dull and corporate. This was supposed to be a game for kids, which means that the branding and style should be friendly, personal and fun.
Small changes can make a big difference
I would continue to make small tweaks until I was satisfied with the look of my campaign. From the quiet scribble overlay to the curve of the tail on the “Q”, it were those small details that made the overall look of the project more cohesive and attractive.
