Description: In recent years the number of teens and pre-teens using E-cigarettes has been increasing dramatically. As a result, Public Health Services of King County (PHSKC) hired PRR to design and implement a Teen Vaping Prevention Campaign. The challenge was in implementing a campaign that was informative, engaging, approachable, and non-judgmental.
After testing several rounds of campaign concepts with teens and young adults, we landed on the overall tone and feel for "Escape the Vape". In the campaign, we personified different chemicals that are being used in vape juices. Each of these chemicals has a job or real-world application that they are very proud of. We dubbed this group "The Chemical Crew". Upon finding out that they are being inhaled by humans via vape liquids, the members of the Chemical Crew as shocked and appalled! By personifying the chemicals, we removed fear and judgment from the campaign, and instead focused on educating our audience about the realities of vaping.
Role: Concept Artist and Illustrator
I worked with our research team to look into and identify every day uses of each chemical in the Chemical Crew. I then worked alongside Creative Director, Debby H. Sung, to develop character sketches. Each character went through several rounds of revisions, including presenting early sketches to our teen panel for feedback. From initial hand-drawn sketches, to digital illustrations, to the final animated gifs, I was responsible for bringing each character to life.
Meet the Chemical Crew
Aluminum: Given its many applications in every day life, Aluminum is the "all-star" of the Chemical Crew. He is cool, athletic, and aloof. We were greatly inspired by local all-star Marshawn Lynch. Aluminum's character design evolved from a very human-like athlete to a more amorphous, sturdy humanoid character.
Initial hand-drawn concepts, showing Aluminum's evolution from a human athlete to an amorphous humanoid.
Final, animated gif
Nicotine: Originally, Nicotine was meant to be a friendly, bushy character who is evidently "ruffled up" upon finding out that he is being used in E-cigarettes. However, as Nicotine is an addictive substance, we wanted to move away from portraying him as too friendly. Nicotine, therefore, evolved to be more akin to an insidious parasite, one that sneaks up on you when you aren't quite ready for him.
Initial concept for Nicotine.
Revised, parasite-like sketch
Final gif animation
Copper: Used in robots and electronics, Copper was originally designed as a friendly little robot who bursts open, revealing all his copper wiring, once he finds out he is being used in E-Cigarettes. Our teen panel provided great feedback, indicating Copper looked too much like a toy; they were also a bit confused about the copper wires. In the revised sketch, I made Copper more robot-like and less like a toy, and made his overall shape less confusing. He is also copper-colored, a more efficient way of showing the connection to the element than the copper cables.
Original character sketch.
Revised sketches.
Final, animated gif
Meet the rest of the crew:
Arsenic, Benzene, and Diacetyl
Cadmium, Formaldehyde, and Silver
Lead, Manganese, and Fluorine
