Young adulthood is a period filled with uncertainty, transformation, and self-discovery. However, many young adults struggle to navigate these emotions alone, often feeling isolated in their experiences.
long story short, was created as a podcast that acknowledges these challenges, offering a space where listeners can reflect on their personal journeys while finding camaraderie through shared stories. The challenge was to build a brand identity and accompanying digital and physical experiences that capture the essence of these emotions in a way that is immersive, engaging, and deeply personal.
This project involved developing a cohesive brand identity, interface design, and publication design to bring long story short, to life.
The goal was to extend the podcast beyond an auditory experience, engaging audiences through three primary senses: sight, hearing, and touch.
The objective is to design an immersive multi-sensory experience that resonates with young adults, providing comfort and connection through storytelling.
Project Scope
Create a visual brand identity that encapsulates the emotions and themes of the podcast.
Develop UI elements that enhance accessibility and engagement with the podcast's content.
Design physical publications (zines) that visually translate the themes of each episode into tangible artifacts for listeners.
Conducted user research to identify the emotional needs of young adults and how they engage with storytelling, exploring how sensory design elements could enhance engagement beyond traditional podcast formats.
For the long story short, identity, I established a wordmark logo that ends in a comma, symbolizing that the conversation is never truly over. The color palette was developed using a youthful, energetic group of colors to ensure relatability and emotional resonance.
The podcast’s 2021 issue was structured into four quarterly chapters, each reflecting different phases of young adulthood:
Nap of a Star: exploring isolation
Can't We Just Leave The Monster Alive?: exploring fear and imagination
We Lost the Summer: exploring the fear of missing out
Fairy of Shampoo: exploring media consumption
