ALL IN to Vote
THE CHALLENGE
The task was to create a social media post encouraging college students to vote. I believe it’s so important for everyone to have their voice heard, which made this project particularly meaningful to me.
THE RESEARCH
Before starting the project, I conducted research on the American voting process and voter turnout rates. I found that while the process is relatively simple, with conveniences like online registration, there's a significant disparity in voter participation between generations. While older generations, like the Boomers, have a turnout rate of around 80%, Gen Z's participation remains below 50%. This led me to conclude that focusing on motivating young people to vote, rather than just informing them how to do so, would be a more effective approach.
OH… The Gen Z received a letter from the boomers… I wonder what it says…?
Thanks for Not Voting!
Design, Animation
Dear Gen Z, Thanks for not Voting. We’ll be happy to decide everything for you. Sincerely, your Old Boomers.
PROCESS
PRE PRODUCTION
SKETCHES / IDEA
After the initial brief, I began my ideation process by brainstorming potential taglines like "Get Out and Vote" and considering imagery that could be used either directly or symbolically, such as scales to represent decision or a cake as a nod to the idiom "a piece of cake."
CONCEPT DIRECTIONS
DESIGN
After the ideation, I developed two strong potential directions that I believe effectively achieve the goal and offer a lot of creative potential to work with.
One reason young people often don't vote is the belief that a single vote won't make a difference. However, that's simply not true. This concept demonstrates how even one vote can tip the scales, symbolized by an image of a balance and a single ball. It encourages viewers to see themselves as that ball, emphasizing the message, "My vote matters!"
Tip the Scale
PRODUCTION
Talking with the Art director, even it’s an unconventional approach, using reverse psychology and sarcasm might resonate more with teenagers, rather than simply emphasizing the importance and effectiveness of voting. To effectively convey a message with this level of complexity, a simpler approach was needed. As a result, I redesigned my style frames with a strong emphasis on typography.
One aspect my animation lacked was a clear connection to the theme of voting. To address this, I decided to use both red and blue, rather than purple, as these colors are traditionally associated with voting and create a more relevant visual tone.
I visioned an elderly person writing a letter to the younger generation, so I chose a tinted yellow background to remind of an vintage paper. To maintain neutrality and avoid representing either side of the parties, I paired it with a simple purple background.
After meeting with the art director, he advised that the term "youngsters" was too vague and suggested using "Gen Z" to more directly target the audience. I also adjusted the text to ensure better visibility on small screens and added a subtle background pattern to enhance visual interest.
ANIMATION
RESULTS
Although using reverse psychology is not a typical approach, I believe it was effective in motivating young people to vote. Overall, I think the animation was able deliver a message in a creative and impactful way to engage the target audience and encourage civic participation.
One point of feedback mentioned during the review was the animation was too long and slow. For a social media post, maintaining a fast pace is crucial, as viewers can quickly lose interest. To address this, I shortened the script and adjusted the animation to better align with the voiceover that was recorded.
To get more votes, politicians tend to prioritize policies that benefit the generation with the most voters. Building on this idea, the concept leverages irony and reverse psychology. By having the older generation provocatively say, "Thank you for not voting—so politicians can prioritize us," the aim is to tap into the younger generation's rebellious spirit, motivating them to vote.