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VIDEO GAME DESIGN
2022
Cursed Mountain
Developed the UI/UX for an original platformer game with a focus on accessibility for Global Game Jam 2022.
DESC
Conducted primary and secondary user and market research to position my social campaign empowering female consumers.
DESC
UX Researcher
Graphic Designer
ROLE
TIME
5 weeks
Individual project
UX RESEARCH
2021
Get Real
01 / PROBLEM BACKGROUND
Advertising Shits in our Minds
The average person is estimated to encounter 6,000 to 10,000 ads daily. These ads often showcase an image of idealized female beauty: slim, light-skinned, and digitally altered to unrealistic proportions. This deceptive and uninclusive American beauty idea hurts young girls’ mental and emotional health.
Between the ages of 11 and 14, the number of girls unhappy with their appearance nearly doubles, putting them at a higher risk for mental illnesses like eating disorders and depression.
Victoria’s Secret’s body underepresentation.
Airbrushed and photoshopped adverts.
Young girls grew less satisfied in their bodies after playing with a Barbie.
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Get Real is a multi-platform social movement that empowers female consumers by dismantling predatorial beauty marketing that undermines their self-esteem for-profit and demands more authentic and inclusive marketing behavior within the media and beauty industries.
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02 / EMPATHIZE - USER RESEARCH
Targeting the Targeted: Growing Girls
AUDIENCE
-
Those who grew up in robust cities (where advertising thrives).
-
Young girls (15-21) who are avid, daily social media users (advertising is particularly strong on adolescents, as they are still developing their self-concepts).
ETHNOGRAPHY
Living in NYC and being online has given me direct access to study the practices in which consumers revolt against predatorial advertising in real life and online.
SCROLL
Forms of Current Consumer Protest
TAKEAWAYS
Physically critiquing adverts through graffiti, stickers, and writing.
1.
Utilizing social media features, like hashtags, comments, and sharing posts.
2.
These forms of protest aim to platform and build a collective voice made by consumers, for consumers.
3.
I used secondary research to further validate my hypothesis: that (1) consumers don’t feel represented by current beauty marketing and (2) it poses a threat to their emotional and mental development.
STATS
67%
*According to Mentil’s (marketing research agency) 2022 study
of Americans agree social media
has created impossible beauty standards*.
50%
of ads found in teen magazines
use “sexualized beauty” to sell products, creating a mindset from a young age that beauty is defined by looking and acting a certain way.
Those with body image dissatisfaction are at higher risk for:
anxiety disorders
substance use disorders
mood disorders
**Those aged 18-24 in 2021.
~25%
of Gen Z**
consumers feel unrepresented in beauty advertisements.
INTERVIEWS
Because this project delved into personal and sometimes sensitive issues, I conducted semi-structured interviews with a handful of young women within my target audience to better understand their pain points and wants in their experience with female representation in media.
“Growing up, I didn’t see myself represented on TV. I assumed it was because I wasn’t worthy enough.” - Simone
“I didn’t like my brown skin as early as elementary school.” - Shahd
“There are so many misconceptions built around what being a woman is.” - Esmaa
03 / DEFINE - NEEDS & OPPORTUNITIES
Consumer’s Pain Points
Brainwashed
Young women are socially conditioned to hate their bodies. While consumers are aware that pervasive beauty messaging can be disingenuous, it takes lots of self-control to stay resilient to it.
Underepresented
Women of all body types, skin tones, and other traits are not represented in the media industry, and, more importantly, no concentrated space to platform consumers’ demands.
Insecure
Many girls feel insecure because they are conditioned to think that their natural features are burdens they need to “fix”. Their anxiety around their appearance halts their growth and confidence.