Developed for a student assignment, this project focused on cross-cultural branding. The brief involved interviewing a demographic outside your own, developing personas based on those insights, and designing a product that addressed a key problem or frustration revealed through the interviews. Guided by this framework, the resulting concept was Withstand; a brand built in response to the unique challenges faced by those who have been through the prison system.
Withstand is a job search platform specifically for formerly incarcerated individuals and those looking to hire them. Withstand aims to reduce recidivism and humanize the process of reentering civilian life. This is done through education resources, donations and most importantly, by helping people secure meaningful employment.
Naming
Logo
Website
Environmental Design
Authentic
Professional
Reliable
Student Project
Spring 2024
This graph represents the percentage of people not employed among a cohort of 51,500 people after their 2010 release from federal prisons, compared to the highest recorded U.S. unemployment rate in decades. For context, the U.S. unemployment rate in 2010, when they were released, was 9.6%.
During the concept development phase of the project, in order to determine what product would prove most beneficial, real interviews were conducted to learn more about the pain points of those who had been through the prison system.
From these interviews, two distinct user personas were created; one representing a potential employer, and the other a potential job seeker.
The job search page strikes a balance between familiarity and innovation. The typeface Pilat was chosen for its unique tone - equal parts professional and inviting - thanks to its clean geometry and rounded terminals. A fresh shade of green is featured throughout, evoking growth, optimism, and new beginnings. While the structure follows traditional job search site conventions for ease of use, modern touches, like interactive elements and clear calls to action, add a fresh, streamlined feel.
