About This Project
Client: Facebook
Overview: Facebook has recently established a dedicated online platform to boost influencers and individuals serving Black and Latino communities. The platform consists of content creators and media personalities that come from minority communities who promote a positive vision for the world. Facebook calls this effort “We The Culture”. I was commissioned to create the art style and social posts for Facebook’s “We The Culture” which included Peloton cycling instructor Tunde Oyenin, Pop Punk Band “Meet Me at the Altar”, and NBA player Harrison Barnes.
My role: Creating graphical elements and composition to showcase the innovative storytelling of an effort to uplift the community. The visual experience of Facebook’s approach was was to implement a collection of social posts based on a design strategy of a vibrant color palette of four contrasting hues. The colors of light teal, mint green, raspberry red and neon orange were decided to force brand recognition and yield cohesiveness.
Problem: Since the industry of social media captures attention and sets the focus on the actual influencer, it was imperative to produce something that aligned more with the common person—making the audience feel elevated and relatable to the actual person/influencer. How do we make a ‘rags to riches’ Peloton instructor showcase the greatness that she really is? Or how do we showcase a hard-working, ‘under the radar’ All Star nominated basketball player who came from humble beginnings? Or a pop punk band with a groundbreaking throwback sound all while being unique through its black and hispanic band members?
The attempt in “We The Culture” was to level the users and influencers with no social divide, in other words—to show how relatable people in the limelight are to their audiences, in particular the black and latino communities. The theme was really to push the positivity and intertwine users and influencers. Additionally through the branding, bright colors can enhance the impact of facial features, making them stand out against the background. This attention-grabbing quality can encourage audiences to pause, engage, and ultimately interact with the brand’s content. Hurdles such as strategically selecting colors that complement human portraits, action shots, and various photo angles was a gratifying challenge to overcome. Also, studying the aesthetic of YouTube streamers, Instagram influencer’s, and popular Snapchat bloggers was crucial in regards to the visuals and artwork that accompanies social media output.
Outcome: Provided a relatable social media presence to a target audience with a positive cause. Moreover, this gave Facebook another layer of identity and created awareness across the social media landscape. Another outcome was the awareness and focus on Black and Latino communities throughout the ever-growing streaming and content creation industry. Companies such as Snap Inc, Twitch, and YouTube have pioneered this industry but yet have demonstrated a curation of a positive representation of minority communities. Positive representation of minority communities on social media can inspire people to feel seen, valued, and empowered to pursue their dreams; all while challenging harmful stereotypes.
