Furever Friends

Master of Design 2015 | Role: Designer - Collaborative project with Jessyca Gouw and Lisa Zheng

The challenge

Most campaigns addressing animal welfare in the fur industry rely on confronting imagery, graphic videos, shock tactics, and direct provocation. We wanted to explore whether a completely opposite approach could be equally, or more, effective in shifting attitudes over time.

Concept development

Mindmap

My role

Research, user flows, wireframes and app design across both iOS and iPad to a working prototype stage. I also designed and made the clothing.

The idea

Our central insight was generational: rather than trying to change the minds of existing fur consumers, we designed a system aimed at children aged 8 to 14, fostering emotional connection with animals and gradually building awareness of the fur industry in a way that was age-appropriate and lasting. The hypothesis was that children who developed that connection would become both informed decision-makers themselves and a gentle influence on their parents.

Inspired by the emotional bond many of us had with Tamagotchi as children, we developed a multi-touchpoint ecosystem built around that attachment mechanic: a colouring book to introduce three animal types and their habitats, a care-based app that fostered ongoing emotional connection with a virtual version of the animal, a clothing collection using design elements from the books (each item including a redeemable in-app code), and physical toy versions of the app animals unlocked through the care system over time. The intention was a rolling launch that built excitement and deepened engagement progressively.

Research and testing

The approach was grounded in research into animal welfare education and child advocacy, and we conducted surveys and prototype testing with children throughout development, including testing which pet names resonated most to inform the three animal characters we built the system around.

Sources included: 'Pedagogy: teaching animal welfare to children' - World Society for the Protection of Animals (Accessed 2015).

'On Behalf of Their Animal Friends: Involving Children in Animal Advocacy' - Jyotsna Pattnaik (2004).

'Animals, Ethics, and Trade_Turner' - J D'Silva & J Turner (2006)

Sample of target market research

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Sample of animal research

Project timeline

Outcome

The project reached click-through prototype stage, a limitation of the academic context and timeline rather than the concept. The strategic foundation is one I still think holds up: behaviour change through emotional connection and generational influence is a more durable lever than shock, and designing a system that works across physical, digital, and social touchpoints to reinforce a single idea is an approach I have carried into my professional work.