The Ask
Get Gen Z to choose Adobe’s content creation platform, Adobe Express
The Problem
Gen Z creatives are tired of templated designs and visual cliches.
The Solution
A campaign that positions Adobe Express as the tool for creative rebellion, calling out clichés and inviting Gen Z to design on their own terms.
How we did it
Our team of five Gen Z-ers dissected what ticks off our bull**t radar in design (therapeutic, honestly), then we dug deeper with peer interviews, social listening and research.
D&AD New Blood 2024 | Black Pencil Winner
Press | Little Black Book, Shots, Adobo Magazine
Creativity and templates are like oil and water
The democratization of design has led to formulaic template design, and Canva dominates that space.
The same layouts, the same fonts, the same design elements. Gen Z creatives we spoke to shared their frustration with that, and many said they can spot a Canva template from a mile away, whether it’s a yard sale poster or a lost cat flyer.
But Adobe Express is different. It offers more customization than its competitors, and it integrates with platforms such as Photoshop and Illustrator to allow creatives to develop their designs further.
Yet, it is often seen as just another template platform, like Canva. So, how do we convince Gen Z creatives that with Express, they can have more creative control without sacrificing ease of use?
A generation that stands against sameness
Unlike previous generations, who mostly experienced design through traditional media, Gen Z grew up in a world where digital and physical spaces blur together.
They have seen the same aesthetics recycled across platforms, industries, and trends.
In our team’s internal meetings, we could go on and on about the design clichés, we’re tired of, how every rebrand is starting to look the same, how corporate Memphis has lost its charm, or how every other self-help book seems to have the word f**k in the title.
This frustration goes beyond just templated design; it’s grown into a full-on cliché radar.
Not only can Gen Z creatives spot what feels predictable, but they also have ideas on how to make it better because we realized that their creativity is a movement against the mold.
Adobe Express can play a key role in this by equipping them with a tool that lets them create on their own terms.
Introducing Scan to Revolt, a campaign that exposes Gen Z’s design icks, and lets them do something about it.
We’'ll start by calling out cliches using OOH placements and social media.
When people scan a piece of the campaign, it brings them directly to Adobe Express, where they can design something new.
Then on World Design Day, media placements of the campaign flip to showcase Gen Z’s work, making Adobe Express a champion of creativity.
Case Study Video
What Did The Judges Say?
“We only had one yellow pencil winner. This work really impressed everyone on the jury, from ideation to the extremely high quality execution of the entry itself. It considered the brief, tied the response to a real social issue and packaged up the solution in a beautifully crafted video.”
— Alex Kerman, Senior Marketing Manager, Next Gen, Adobe
“A nice expression of being a creative advocate, and a way of changing the visual dialogue around what is interesting and expressive. Gen Z's way of expressing is rapidly evolving, and it positions Adobe's tools to be the catalyst for these rapidly evolving expressions.”
— Kinney Edwards, Global Head of Creative Lab, TikTok
“This entry stood out for me. The narrative was clear, it had a clear & undeniable insight, it was on brief and the supporting film (and soundtrack) were created to such a high standard that I would be willing to put it in front of a client.”
— Roy Thomas, Head Of Insight, Copa90
“We're really excited to award this black pencil because it really made the jury stop and think about the way the industry works, and it's rare for students to be able to identify where the industry is going wrong - i'm really excited to see where these entrants take their thoughts in the future.”
— India Pearce, Senior Creative and Designer, Havas Play
Our Journey to D&AD London
When we first heard we’d won a Black Pencil at D&AD New Blood, we didn’t quite grasp the magnitude of it. Then we found out that we were the first Brandcenter students to ever receive one, and only 20 Black Pencils had been awarded since New Blood’s inception in 2014.
But how do five broke students get to London to accept their award? We launched a crowdfunding campaign.
With our limited-edition $300 t-shirts, and the incredible support from our alumni community and friends, we found ourselves at the 2024 New Blood Festival, celebrating alongside the best emerging creatives in the world.
Collaborators
art director Alex Ward
copywriter Henry Coffey
copywriter Callum Leitenberg
copywriter Boyan Zlatarski