Stutterdot Design has been spending the last 6 months creating an image for this brand new company, ethiKids, inc.. The result is a meaningful yet playful logo, package design and online presence (http://www.ethikids.com/*) that the client is extremely happy with. First off, the people at ethiKids, inc. headquarters knew what they wanted. So, as fresh and exciting all the graphics and colors created for their international appeal were, they wouldn't settle for anything. To be honest, I was hoping for a 'Yeah, that'll do for now' a couple of times throughout the brainstorming sessions... but no such luck. And in hindsight, I am glad they stuck to their guns; it's a challenge any designer should welcome. Not to mention the client's enthusiasm to see their fully saturated campaign come to life is, how you say - priceless.
Logo: There were many designs based on typography at first; designs they liked, but something was missing. Then they told me about 'The Butterfly Story', a story about this person who decided to help a newly metamorpho-sized butterfly escape from its cocoon, not realizing that nature did not intend things to work that way. After the 'meant well' but 'not needed' help, the butterfly did escape but soon dropped to the ground unable to fly. The lesson here is that butterflies, as well as people, need to develop muscles, or skills, giving them the strength to deal with and maneuver about life's hurdles. Once I fully understood the ethiKids philosophy in a visual sense, the butterfly that now hovers above the 'ethiKids' type, came to fruition. This is no butterfly to reckon with.
The colors: They have a recognizable palette of Red, Blue, Yellow and Green to give their product an automatic familiarity, with the added use and foundation of Purple. This added the boldness and maturity needed to provide the subtext: ethiKids, inc is a serious learning and growing tool.
ethiKids, inc and their products: (note - ethiKids is always typed in lowercase, save the capital 'K'. David Lynch declares the same sternness with his latest film, 'INLAND EMPIRE' in how it should always appear in uppercase) The ethiKids tag line is -Strengthening Character Through Dialogue - with the first product, "what's the deal?"**, being a full workout station disguised as a game. It truly is amazing and the splash is going to be a big one. I've played it with my daughter and unexpected conversations unfolded right before our very ears. Things that maybe we'd never discuss became exciting and almost unstoppable. The game is designed for ages 8-11 and may be used with parents (or guardians) and their children or even in school with teachers and students taking part in many of the ethiKids' activities. My daughter is at the older end of the age spectrum; she loved it.
The website: Talk about information. There is so much on this website from the years of research and actual experiences that the ethiKids, inc. people compiled into this easy to get to fountain. Both adults and children have access to activities, polls and stories on real life people in the news. However, one of the goals of ethiKids is not to keep children glued to a computer screen. Their time spent there should be brief. the learning activities are meant to be printed and played in real-time human contact.
Opening music provided by Blue Man Group by permission
Opening music provided by Blue Man Group by permission
* website CMS by Timothy Wood Design
** The main part of the "what's the deal?" game consists of 40 story cards. Each card has a situation that could happen either in school, at home, with friends or during activities. After each story are a few questions to kindle the conversation between the players. What's discussed are the set of values at stake and the set of skills (both included) needed to strengthen decision making.
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