Abstract

Designers solve, and create, problems every day. In some forms, design itself is about problem-solving. Neighborhood branding in medium to large cities have their own problems to face. How do neighborhoods create a positive commerce experience despite the problems that come along with city living such as homelessness, congestion, and lack of parking? In this project for the Heartside District in Grand Rapids, Michigan downtown area, these exact problems need to be solved.

This small city in Western Michigan, a few hours outside of Detroit, is growing faster than resources can be created. The pains of this fast-growing city are obvious to patrons who are enjoying the downtown area. Mentally ill, possibly drug-addicted displaced people disrupt customers on their nights out making walking between businesses or waiting outside a business an uncomfortable experience. The lack of parking and congestion in the city makes it frustrating before a person can even park their car.

Are these issues hurting the bottom lines of businesses? The research states people are less likely to go into this downtown area for a night out due to these issues. How can neighborhood branding change the way patrons see these issues? By creating a community. Policy changes can take years and effects from those changes take more years. The residents of Grand Rapids and businesses in the Heartside District don’t have the time to wait for policy to catch up. Instead, design can change their perspective on the issues that plague this area.

Project Overview

Creating empathy with design

BoxPark Sushi is a business located in East Milwaukee as a part of the pop-up mall experience, BoxPark. BoxPark Sushi has to compete with breweries in a city that loves beer. However, there are also a number of other sushi restaurants in the area which provide direct competition. BoxPark Sushi needed an all-over rebrand that would make them more attractive to the local sushi lovers than other sushi takeout places. Further complicating the re-brand is the volatile political environment and the coronavirus outbreak of 2020.

Project Goals

Create Empathy

Through design we can tell stories. The designs in the project are based on the hypothesis that Homophobia is mostly lacking empathy, understanding, and experience. Grand Rapids Pride Center’s new social media plan will be to share the stories of those who have been massively affected by Homophobia – personal and systematic. In this way, we can make real change.

Spread Awareness

Even for those who support the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still a lot of misinformation or social blindness to the issues facing those who are LGBTQIA+. From policies that leave them vulnerable to being the leading victims of hate crimes, being openly proud can still be dangerous for LGBTQIA+ people, even in the United States. Spreading awareness about the issues will help organize the section of the system that need to be taken down so LGBTQIOA+ can truly have equality.

Share Stories

Grand Rapids Pride Center will launch community-pride-worldwide.com as a forum for those who have stories to share. This website, which will function as a forum, will allow people to share their pain but also find a community. Grand Rapids Pride Center has had a lot of success in creating a local community and would like to spread the community across the world.

Creating a Plan

What story are we telling?

Homophobia is not a victimless crime. In fact, LGBTQIA+ people deal with Homophobia daily. From snide comments from strangers to fear of losing their job or being denied service, we are telling the stories of LGBTQIA+ people so they are allowed to own and share their struggles while creating a community of support.

Where will this story be told?

Visibility is key to spreading awareness. Participating non-profits will be very visible in their cities. From purchasing space and community events to guerilla art, communities will be saturated in pride awareness in their public spaces.

Why are we telling this story?

Homophobia is not a victimless crime. The more Homophobia is allowed to infect the population, the harder it will be for everyone to live a peaceful life. Filling the heart with hate does not benefit persons or communities. This project will break down the walls that keep people from experiencing the beauty that is the LGBTQIA+ communities.

How will the stories be told?

Humans process images much faster than words. The best of the stories will be cut down to one very relatable quote that goes beyond LGBTQIA+ struggles and united all humans. Much like the information used in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, human needs and suffering will be shared in a way that is relatable. Making that one quote large and easy to process, people will quickly be able to read the short quote and empathize with the teller – even before realizing the teller is LGBTQIA+.

Competitor Solutions

Ad Council's 'Beyond I Do'

Ad Council, famous for ad campaigns on social issues, released a 2018 campaign for LGBTQIA+ rights awareness called, “Beyond I Do”. “The campaign aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the United States, despite the widespread misperception they have basic protections,” explains journalist Kyle O’Brien about the campaign.

Though the campaign is emotionally touching, my solution is a more person-to-person solution rather than using digital assets to tell the story. My campaign has digital assets but also community plans to get volunteers in the streets to tell their stories directly to strangers. Also, through using social media and other social digital assets, my plan creates a community around these painful stories so LGBTQIA+ people can share their pain as a community rather than alone.

Design Examples

References

References

Bhatia, J. (June 25, 2020). Global Acceptance of LGBTQ On the Rise. US News. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2020-06-25/lgbtq-acceptance-growing-in-us-and-other-countries-over-time

O’Brien, K. (April 17, 2018). Ad Council introduces ‘Beyond I Do’ campaign to raise awareness about LGBT discrimination. The Drum. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/04/17/ad-council-introduces-beyond-i-do-campaign-raise-awareness-about-lgbt-discrimination

Poushter, J. (June 25, 2020). The Global Divide on Homosexuality Persists. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/06/25/global-divide-on-homosexuality-persists/