App Design & Advertising
Role : Designer & Strategist
Year : 2022
GreenFlag Campaign
An app and advertising campaign to equip allies with knowledge to help others feel safer in public spaces.
The Objective
Although the majority of people are kind at heart, the fact that any one person could have a life-altering negative impact on our lives makes it difficult to not live in a defensive way. This anxiety is amplified in women and other minorities when they are in public spaces.
But what happens when we harness the opportunity to educate and build accountability among kindhearted allies, rather than expecting minorities to live in fear that anyone could be a threat to our safety at any moment?
The Solution
GreenFlag is a space for men who want to be allies to women and other minorities. It is a place for learning and open conversation; to shape perspectives and provide simple solutions as to how we can adapt our behavior to make others feel safer in public spaces.
The Research
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Male Focus Groups assessed what men already know about the topic of safety in public spaces, how they have learned what they know, and how they’d prefer to learn more.
Key Insights:
Men want to learn, but are generally unaware of how their behavior can impact women’s lives.
The avid learner is a key persona within the target audience. They regularly seek out short form content like reddit threads and also engage with long form content if it is in a format they enjoy like podcasts and video.
Passive learners still want to learn, but their time must be used wisely. Concise content with clear solutions is the best way to influence their perspective.
Female Focus Groups started an in depth conversation about shared experiences, testimonial stories, and the ways in which male interference or changed behavior can alleviate what they go through. These groups are the foundation of GreenFlag’s advertising.
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Male and Female college students were given different surveys to dig deeper into inquiries addressed in the Focus Groups and create a space for more vulnerable testimonials.
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This final stage of research was inspired by the conversations from focus groups. Digging into Reddit Chains and existing community safety apps like Citizen in NYC helped to understand the information that is already being used to influence change and how it is being consumed. This research informed how the GreenFlag app is structured.
The Brand
The Logo
The brand name is a juxtaposition of the term Red Flag, commonly used to describe concerning traits within relationships, including signs of a dangerous person.
The italicized logotype denotes active movement while also mimicking the waving of a flag.
The Colors
Vibrant and Broad with a dark background.
Vibrant colors are used to energize the user. They are bold and attention-grabbing in GreenFlag advertising, but are used in moderation throughout the app so as to not overwhelm the user. Dark backgrounds are used throughout the brand to communicate the seriousness of the topic and to lean into the “dark mode” phone screen trend, predominantly used by men.
Gradients and Noise are used throughout the brand to create visual interest and dimensionality. GreenFlag is a safe place for diverse thought and learning. Texture and variety work to communicate that visually.
The Typography
Bergen Text is the only typeface used throughout the brand. Since every aspect of the brand is type-heavy, sticking to one readable font keeps the content from becoming overwhelming. Colored Italics are used for headers to establish a hierarchy and differentiation that is active, like the logotype.
The Advertising
Direct and Enlightening
Men often exist in a world where they are unaware of the adversity that those around them face on a daily basis. GreenFlag advertising introduces the brand’s target audience to real-life scenarios that women and other minorities experience in their everyday life. Each quote was uncovered during the research phase in focus groups. They are from “someone you know” to demonstrate the reality that is hidden from most men who are not aware of the things that their closest relationships go through.
The App
Open and Intentional
Greenflag is a Reddit-style app that emphasizes providing solutions above all else.
There are multiple ways to consume content depending on the user.
The Guerilla Marketing
Honest, but Gentle
GreenFlag advertising is already very direct, but this print advertising strategy addresses public safety in real-time.
It is common to find signage in women’s bathrooms with sexual abuse hotlines and other emergency numbers. Why are we putting the burden on them to live in a defensive way, without also speaking to the male community about how to support women?
These two posters are put up in male bathrooms of crowded social settings like bars and clubs to encourage them to give women’s safety a second thought. One is directed toward the male ally and one toward the possible aggressor. Both are gentle, but thoughtful reminders of how to look out for those that may be feeling unsafe.
