Matter: Your Mind 101

Research

Editorial

Branding/Identity

Matter aims to begin a dialogue about the importance of acknowledging mental health problems among university students and encouraging them to seek help when needed.

Research and Analysis

During the research phase, I found and sifted through the information that was most relevant to the target demographic. Information on the most common mental health problems like stress, anxiety, and poor self-image/inner dialogue proved useful, whereas serious disorders like depression or suicidal tendencies were beyond the campaign's scope and belonged in the clinical realm.

Design Process

Matter is a mental health awareness campaign that targets university students aged 19-25. Many students are unable to deal with their mental health problems effectively due to a lack of knowledge about mental healthcare or the stigma surrounding it. The campaign aims to begin a dialogue about the importance of acknowledging mental health problems in this age group, encouraging them to seek help when needed.

Branding

Awareness starts with a conversation and that’s what the artifacts for this campaign aim to be; conversation starters (interpersonal and/or intrapersonal). Ideally, the audience will be encouraged to have a conversation about their mental health, at least at a personal level, and be able to form habits that reduce the impact of everyday stresses on their overall mental health.

Handbook

The handbook contains literature about mental health awareness, information on the most common mental health issues that the target demographic faces on a daily basis and ways to deal with them, and sources for professional help should the reader feel they need it. A small form factor makes it easy to process information, especially for individuals with very little spare time and short attention spans.

Affirmation Card Deck

The deck contains 30 affirmation cards inspired by the concept of the handbook, allowing readers to apply (to some extent) the information therein. Each card has insights that encourage contemplation and/or moments of Discovery, Reflection, and Realization.

Stickers

A common mental health problem among the audience is terrible inner dialogue. All experiences and forms of media contribute to our thoughts and our emotions. This is why Matter has stickers that act as subtle reinforcers of positivity and contribute to a supportive inner dialogue.

Instagram Ads

Short-form animated Instagram ads for Matter are essential to extend the campaign’s reach. Social media ads are well received in contrast to YouTube ads since they’re not interrupting content but are content themselves. This keeps the brand’s message from being associated with annoyance while increasing the likelihood of engagement.

What I did

Deliverables: Research, branding, motion design, collateral, and ads.
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe After Effects.