Design study, Environment
Native Plant Giveaway
A self-initiated design study: Give away native plants and show residents how they save water and bring back bees, butterflies, and birds.
These are self-initiated studies, not client work. Each is a fictional campaign; none was commissioned by, produced for, or approved by any agency or organization.
The brief
- Line of business
- Environment
- Audience
- Homeowners and renters with yards, balconies, or parkways who want a garden that needs less water.
- Objective
- Give away native plants and show residents how they save water and bring back bees, butterflies, and birds.
- When and where
- Sunday, October 24 | 9 am to noon, Harbor Community Garden
Concept A: Butterflies Return 12
Promises butterflies and hummingbirds back in the yard, a small daily joy people can picture. Type style.
Concept B: Plant in Fall 12
Shares the timing secret, plant in fall so winter rain helps with watering, along with easy care tips. Scene style.
Concept C: Lazy Gardener 12
Sells native plants to people who hate yard work, since they thrive with less water and less fuss. Grid style.
Spanish adaptation of Butterflies Return 12
The first direction adapted rather than translated: the headline, supporting line, and call to action rewritten in Spanish, with the layout reflowed for the longer text. Type style.
What was checked
Every one of the 48 pieces was checked as it was composed. The lowest text contrast measured anywhere in this study is 6.08 to 1, against a minimum of 4.5 to 1. Type sizes are in the units of each format: pixels for digital formats, and for print, units of the drawing at the sizes shown.
| Format | Minimum type size | Smallest set | Lowest contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster, 18 by 24 inches | 11 | 13.2 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Flyer, letter | 11 | 13.5 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Social story, vertical | 13 | 13.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Retractable banner | 10 | 10.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Display ad, 160 by 600 | 10 | 10.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Social post, square | 13 | 13.2 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Display ad, 300 by 250 | 10 | 10.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Postcard, 6 by 4 inches | 13 | 13.2 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Event cover | 12 | 12.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Billboard | 12 | 12.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Email header | 11 | 11.0 | 6.08 to 1 |
| Display ad, 728 by 90 | 10 | 10.0 | 6.08 to 1 |