NYX BEAUTY BESTIE
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Project: Subtropic Studios collaborated with Snapchat’s in-house creative studio, Arcadia, to conceptualize and design a lens experience built for and inspired by the makeup community.
Role: I created a UI system that was easily navigatable and allowed the AR elements to shine. Within Snapchat, Beauty Bestie was its own hub that greeted the user and even suggested new NYX-inspired looks and products to try on first open. To add more youthful flare, we created illustrated stickers that brightened up the experience with cute affirmations.
Users were served human-crafted makeup looks that can be virtually tried-on in an instance. Users would have the ability to save looks and even shop for products related to that makeup look. Over time, user’s personal taste and preferences were recorded influencing what products and makeup styles were served to them. Future plans include using A.I. to customize looks even further, and featuring Lens in physical store locations.
Results: 238.8M total campaign impressions. 46s organic lens playtime. Based on 54 million total unique NYX Beauty Bestie users, 600K were 20-day users. $3.54 sales lift (offline ROAs) with $8.2M sales lift (incremental sales).
Open your Snapchat and play with the lens here
Visit the NYX product page here
Read the press articles: The Verge | Adweek | WWD
Awards: The Drum (Gold in Innovation) | Shorty Awards (Gold in Beauty)
APRIL
Project: April approached us with an innovative A.I.-driven solution to revolutionize Americans' tax experiences without having to leave the bank they love. However, they lacked a compelling brand aesthetic to engage potential banking partners.
Role: In our intial assessment, we took into account some key factors. Firstly, we observed an abundance of predominantly green palettes and generic photography within the competitive banking landscape—prompting us to steer clear of such clichés. Secondly, we aimed to differentiate April by infusing a more humanistic and editorial aesthetic. Third, we needed to make the templates and executions as user-friendly as possible when handing off to their wider team.
With these considerations in mind, we embarked on developing a cohesive branding system adaptable across various touchpoints, such as their embedded app, website, merchandise, outdoor ads, and presentation suite. I produced a number of explorations for logotypes, icons, motion frames, and layout designs that were finalized within a brand deck.
Results: In late fall, the April team were up and ready to start fully developing their website, app, and marketing materials. In 2023, April was able to secure 12 partnerships at their debut, including Acorns, Mercury Financial, and Move.
Check out the lastest work on getapril.com or on April’s LinkedIn.
SNAPCHAT PUBLIC POLICY AND SOCIAL IMPACT
Project: Snapchat Public Policy collaborates with key non-profit partners and policymakers to empower young people to solve problems and make a difference in their communities. This team approached Subtropic with a modest request to revamp an old internal team logo. This evolved into a comprehensive identity refresh, including a new modular logo system and an overhauled toolkit (excerpts are seen here).
Role: I built trust with our client through multiple insightful conversations on how we could bring their vision to life. We iterated and created two distinct logos for their main Public Policy brand and a sub-category, Social Impact, which could highlight specific states or countries. The toolkit included deck templates, complete with a brand guide featuring logo best practices, typography, layout, color palette, and slide examples. We also included illustrated icons to inject more brand flavor across documents and digital web pages.
Results: Since our refresh, the Policy team has successfully pitched and acquired new clients across the globe, from India to the Netherlands, and back home in Washington D.C. The shortlist includes the Executive Office of the President of the U.S., AdCouncil, The Diana Award, Song for Charlie, YLAC Digital Champions, and Seize the Awkward.
SNAPCHAT LENSES
Project: For many brands, Snapchat is their first forray in integrating an AR touchpoint into their campaigns. From my 2-years at Subtropic, it’s clear any brand can utilize AR in fun and engaging ways to attract new and old fans.
The list is endless: entertainment, travel, healthcare, restaurants, dating apps, video games, beauty products, delivery services, furniture stores, drug prevention, voting campaigns, music, snacks, music, beverages, sports, etc.
Role: I provide art direction by interpreting the client’s briefs and creating experiences that merge brand guidelines and Snap’s best in AR tech. My daily duties vary but general includes giving art direction, revision notes, mentoring, and working cross-functionally with designers and developers to hit frequent fast-paced deadlines. Turn around times for round 1 vary from 24 hours to a week, depending on complexity.
VIDEOS FOR SNAP INC. GLOBAL OFFICES
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Project: Snap Inc. came to us to revamp TV visuals that appear across their global offices from Santa Monica to Amsterdam. Employees would encounter these videos on loop in their respective cafeteria, private conference rooms, lounge spaces, and event areas.
Role: As the newly appointed art director, I was responsible for conceptualizing and overseeing the completion of these videos, working closely with various designers and animators. I myself designed all assets for the "Scrapbook" and "Animated Shapes" videos. And for the "Space Ghosts" video, I created mockups that were rendered out by our 3D artist.
SUBTROPIC SIZZLE REEL
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Project: As Subtropic's Senior Designer, I undertook the ambitious challenge of crafting the agency's first sizzle reel. Drawing from an impressive array of past projects, including a dynamic Doritos ad, AR Lenses developed for Snapchat, interactive online experiences, captivating on-site footage, intricate illustrations, and innovative branding endeavors.
Role: I art directed the aesthetic and worked closely with my editor to create a flow that follows the music beat and visual assets that best highlight the studio’s work and personality.
Result: Since the time of this reel’s release, Subtropic has secured retainer accounts with Meta, Reddit, and Uber.
DRUCKER INSTITUTE
Project: For a time, the Drucker Institute relied on photos and abstract designs to convey the management ethos of Peter Drucker. But in 2019, they enlisted Kilter to create a house style of illustrations that would be adaptable to any number of topics.
Role: With a vibrant color palette and the bravery of the Institute, we we crafted a diverse library of humans, animals, objects, and backgrounds. Rollout of illustrations appeared on their website, brochures, social media platforms, ads, and the institute's online magazine, Courage.
TODO VERDE
Project: Todo Verde offers nutritious and flavorful Latin American-inspired, plant-based cuisine to East Los Angeles and beyond. They won 2nd Place in Kilter's Plant-Based Food Grant. And thus, we were entrusted with designing packaging for their latest seasoning creations, inspired by traditional Mexican dishes.
Role: Collaborating closely with Todo Verde’s Jocyln Ramirez, we aimed to maintain an authentic Mexican identity to appeal to health-conscious individuals and newcomers to plant-based eating. To enhance the packaging, I illustrated by hand some key ingredients like garlic, pineapple, lime, dry chiles, and tomatoes. Final illustrations were created in Photoshop.
Results: Todo Verde’s fanbase were estatic and Kilter became a GDUSA 2022 American Package Design Awards Winner.
HOW TO BE HUMAN SERIES (COVID)
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Project: In March, when California imposed lockdown measures, Kilter responded creatively with a series of cheeky PSAs on proper behavior during quarantine. I produced a heart-felt video encouraging support for local black-owned businesses in Los Angeles. Additionally, I created a video for a donation drive for Oakwood School during the period of online schooling.
Role: Drawing inspiration from current events, I concepted ideas with our creative directors in order to illustrate and animate videos within a week. The response from our community was incredible and garnered high activity on Kilter’s social channels.
KILTER SIZZLE REEL
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Project: A colossal undertaking, I developed the agency's first sizzle reel in 2019. The video features three years' worth of combined effort, spanning printed materials, illustrations, animations, websites, and rebrands. Video is still featured on Kilter’s website today.
Role: I created the flow of each sequence while working 1-on-1 with our Creative Director to figure out the best way to represent the studio’s diverse mix of print and digital deliverables.