For this project we were asked to design a creative communication strategy for a social Project.
Based on questions asked in our class, my group of 4 was mostly interested in matters related to health issues. We wanted to know “How can we make people aware of the importance of mental health?” We were especially interested in understanding the relationship between sexism in society and mental health. After a lot of research we landed on the topic of Gaslighting.
How to address the problem?
We were especially interested in women's mental health, and realized that in majority of relationships, men are the ones who perform gaslighting. During further research, we quickly realized that this issue affects everyone. Anyone can be the victim or the perpetrator.
Mental health is a big topic in social media but not so much in the video game scene.
Our main target group is potential victims of gaslighting. Our secondary audience are the predators who don't realize that they are gaslighting.
Our target was to:
Make them aware of this issue, as it often happens unconsciously
Make them stop the act of gaslighting
Self reflect on the topic / their previous actions
Share this awareness with others
Make mental health not a taboo topic
Creative approach
In this next phase we were asking ourselves a lot of questions:
- What would be the storyline of this idea?
- How will we raise awareness?
- How can we tell them in a subtle way that they are gaslighting and how can we teach them not to
We needed to infiltrate their world somehow. We realized that the majority of men likes to play video games. So we tried to know why? What is it that makes a man so addicted to the idea of video games?
After asking a lot of men this question, their answers were the following:
1. To improve your skills, learn new things, and compete with others.
2. The longer you play, the better you become (addiction)
3. Competitive personality > goal being a winner (proof of being a winner)
4. At least be a winner in the game (escape of reality)
5. Speed in which you have to solve problems (problem solving, concentration, perseverance)
2. The longer you play, the better you become (addiction)
3. Competitive personality > goal being a winner (proof of being a winner)
4. At least be a winner in the game (escape of reality)
5. Speed in which you have to solve problems (problem solving, concentration, perseverance)
We then came to the conclusion that making a video game could help us make a point, without them realizing what the game is about until the end of it.
The colour scheme should reflect the mood of the main character. It starts in the dark cabin, you feel scared, confused and depressed. A small glimmer of hope appears when Jesse appears and together they look for a way out.
From the cabin we go out into the forest, which appears mystical and dark. On the one hand, the glowing mushrooms provide light and thus brighten up the darkness; on the other hand, the toxic aspect of these mushrooms can already be seen in the glowing green.
The further the game progresses and the more memories come back, the brighter the surroundings become. From the oppressive, pinching, dark forest, to the valley, to the mountains with the colorful crystal cave. Until, in the end, Curo comes out of the cave alone and has broken away from the toxic friendship. Finally, the real shape also opens up to the player and one no longer sees only a shadow.
Finally, we see how Curo looks to the future with hope and the process of healing has begun.
After you have finished the game, an end credits appears in which Gaslighting is briefly explained and refers to our website.
Campaign
We want our game to:
1. Attract players: Using platforms they use such as Twitch, Discord to promote the game and main landing page of the game + social media + flyers and posters
2. Deliver a message: Gaslighting is wrong. Throughout the game
3. Awareness: From the information on the landing page
4. Involvement: Speaking up, sharing their gaslighting stories, buying merchandise on website
5. Commitment: Downloading PDF about gaslighting to know more
6. Change behavior of gaslighters: Emotional support also available on the website
7. Replicate
8. Invite others to play and share awareness
We want to make the game more attractive to people by drawing attention to the release with posters in the street and on the underground.
We also want to use social media like Instagram. However, Twitch is very important for us and we want to invite streamers to play the game and talk about it. That way, the theme or the secret message behind the game will become better known.
Another important aspect to draw attention to the game and thus the campaign is the so-called mouth-to-mouth propaganda. Existing communities will talk about the game through incentives such as Instagram and Twitch and thus attract new players. These already existing communities can be on Twitch, YouTube or Discord.
Another way in which players can identify with Curo is through merchandise.
Project by:
- Maria Abdo
- Vanessa Rüpprich
- Adriana Rodriguez
- Lina Holz
- Maria Abdo
- Vanessa Rüpprich
- Adriana Rodriguez
- Lina Holz
Subject group: International Integrated Design
Project type: Master project
Supervisor: Mauricio Sosa Noreña
Development period: Winter term 2021 / 2022
Music attribution:
Discovery by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
