Creative Director • Designer • Retoucher • Proofreader • etc ...
From Dreamy Beaches to Social Impact, this case study showcases a project, fuelled by passion and purpose, that unfolded during a vacation. A journey of human-centred design and storytelling.
Media: Art direction, Product catalogue, Storytelling | Industry: Sustainable Product
Fair trade is a way of living. Not a business
It All Started With
A company's commitment to fair trade
Global Groove Life (GGL), a small fair-trade company specializing in handmade felt products, needed a digital product catalog to connect with new retailers and amplify their social impact mission. Faced with limited resources and a lean team, we embarked on a journey of designing for social impact.
The Aim
A digital product catalogue - Fair Trade, Passionate Hands
GGL's commitment to ethical practices and adorable products reflected the infectious energy of founder Gina. The catalogue needed to showcase not just product details, but also GGL's story and ethical stand towards ethical production and trading supporting vulnerable communities. Their mission became their unique selling proposition, their narrative their strength.
Methodology &
... Cause: Human-Centred
Being on a vacation, this project came full hands-on. In retrospect, we adopted a co-creative, human-centred (design thinking) methodology.
Basically, endless conversations with Gina about each product's origin (user research!), sourcing stories, production processes, and distribution challenges (business analysis!). With no budget, for a month the project became my baby, managing it from conception to, scripting, art direction, and even photo editing (design, Test & evaluate!).
The Result
Product Narratives Come Alive
Instead of unfitting boring price lists, we embraced the "Storytelling Through Products'' concept. Each item held its own tale, woven into fairy tale narratives as we created them in front of the lens. The products became our protagonists reflecting the fair trade mission and the passionate hands behind each creation.
Happy Endings
Sales Triple After Catalog Distribution:
GGL's sales tripled after catalogue distribution. This success (I like to think) speaks to the power of product storytelling and the consumer's growing affinity for ethical brands. However, the impact extended beyond mere numbers, as evidenced by the positive impact of a values-aligned client relationship on project success.
The impact of values alignment:
Despite limited resources while working from a home-studio vacation space, a unique co-creation experience flourished. Shared values around ethical trading and transparency created a safe space for experimentation and testing during the solution design phase. This safety even transformed the meditative vacation moments into creative work behind the lens or screen, as I built narratives through art direction, shooting, retouching, and layout.
And most importantly, a beautiful friendship blossomed with Gina, fuelled by a shared commitment to purpose. (Thank you Gina!)
Reflections ...
Conversations & Research
Design with limited resources forced us to focus on content, not production costs. Limitations became advantages, pushing us to be resourceful and hands-on in every step, from concept to photography to writing.
The informal yet insightful conversations with Gina became the ultimate form of user research. The vacation mindset fuelled collaborative energy, transforming our dialogue into a framework for the entire catalogue narrative. This project showcased the power of shared passion and values in creating impactful design, even amidst unconventional circumstances.
More than just a successful project, this journey became a cornerstone for my approach in future leadership roles in the workplace. It underscored the critical importance of aligned values, fostering trust to create a safe space for experimentation in the problem & solution design.
<< Screenshots of outcome>>
credits
Client: Global Groove Life
