WHAT3WORDS
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge was to highlight the advantages of the What3words app for young people aged 16-25.
MY SOLUTION
My solution was a vibrant digital poster campaign for social media that describes three key uses of the app for my target audience.
In 2020 I created a poster campaign for What3words. What3words is an excellent app that uses three word codes to help users navigate the world - it is simple, accurate and has an infinite number of uses. Within a short survey I found that not many people within my age group (16-25) had actually heard of the app.
I wanted to solve this using Graphic Design, so I created a series of posters that highlight potential uses of the app for the people in my target audience. I thought about a variety of different situations where the app would be of use, such as a music festival, when out hiking/camping, or even when visiting relatives at a hospital.
In terms of design and layout, I followed the fonts and colours that What3words use, as specified in their brand guidelines. I found free stock images to use as backgrounds across the poster set. I used the smartphone imagery as the core focus, to communicate that What3words is an app you can use on your phone.
I used elements such as outlines to highlight important parts of the composition and give the posters a bold and snappy look and feel. The challenge was to make my posters look energetic and youthful, whilst also not looking completely out of place alongside What3word's existing style, which is more mature in nature.
My posters could be used to market the What3words app itself on the app store, and the press team could also share them on social media (as seen above).
The people within my target audience are fairly likely to use public transport, particularly if they are students living in urban areas. Advertising on a bus would garner a lot of attention and would be a good real-life marketing tool.
Following on the transport theme, some adverts in a tube station would also be successful to draw the attention of young commuters who may be attending school or social events.
Freebies always generate brand interaction and participation, so why not some What3words phone cases aimed at my target audience?
Throughout the project I was in contact with What3words, and I was honoured to have them share my work on Twitter and LinkedIn!
I received some excellent feedback from What3words creative director Ivan Pols, which is as follows:
"Firstly, thanks for spending so much time with what3words. You put a lot of time and effort into your campaign.
You've identified the point of what3words, which is not that people like 3 word addresses, but that they like to find exact entrances, or find their friends quickly.
You made a strong looking design and then used it consistently, which is the right thing to do.
People in the office really liked your phone case designs, and I think you could have done with more of that simple boldness in your posters.
What are you trying to say, and how you say it, define a good designer.
Good luck, keep making."
Overall, this is one of my favourite projects! I really enjoyed working within the constraints of the brands existing visual style, and I felt that I was creating work for a cause that was really important. It was excellent to finish the project off with some important feedback from an experienced designer like Ivan. Thanks to What3words!