Katalyst Design Emporium

For these social media posts, I chose to target Riley Thompson, the "Outdoor Weekend Adventurer".  This TikTok post would ideally be a teaser/shortened compilation of the longer YouTube video that I did for this assignment. The goal would be to get Riley to go from the TikTok clip to the YouTube video in order to see the full test of durability.  By calling it a Torture Test and promising "no fluff," we appeal to Riley’s trust in trail reviewers over corporate ads. It specifically mentions "traction" and "waterproofing," which are the technical specs Riley likely looks for when deciding if a shoe is practical for her adventures. Riley is likely to save this post to refer back to when she is ready to purchase new hiking gear, directly supporting the goal of increasing content engagement, while ideally supporting the increase in Customs sales and Loyalty Program enrollment goals. My YouTube video would be the longer, more descriptive version of the...

For our last week of class, we were instructed to create a final 2 blog posts from our company's blog site, targeting specific SMART goals and one of our personas. For this assignment, I chose to target Riley Thompson, who's the "Outdoor Weekend Adventurer". Post 5: The One-Shoe Weekend Post 6: Beyond the Shelf The One-Shoe Weekend This post addresses the following SMART goals: Increase referral traffic from Instagram/TikTok pages by 20% in 6 months: This post is designed to serve as the destination for the social media posts I previously created (specifically, the waterproof/durability video). By offering a deep dive into packing hacks and minimalist travel, it provides content that encourages Riley to explore past social media and into the Vans-owned platform, which further directs her to the website for purchase. Increase enrollment in the loyalty program via the e-commerce site by 15% in the next 12 months: By focusing on the VR3 sustainability standards, the po...

Our final assignment really made me think about design as a system, not just something that looks good on its own. Building out a full content calendar made it clear how important consistency is, not just visually, but strategically. Every color choice, layout decision, and content block had to work together so the calendar was easy to scan, intuitive to understand, and still felt on-brand for Vans. I learned that good design helps tell a story quickly, especially when you’re dealing with a lot of information. I also realized how much design is tied to intention. Each scheduled post needed a clear purpose, whether that was driving traffic, supporting the skate community, or encouraging user-generated content. Designing with specific goals in mind helped me make smarter choices about hierarchy, spacing, and emphasis. Overall, this project showed me that effective design isn’t just creative, it’s functional, thoughtful, and always connected to the message you’re trying to communicate.

For our final, we were asked to create a content calendar covering two months and to include the topics of each post, as well as the goals they were designed to meet. I also included the content type that would be covered, as well as color-coding each post by platform. The posting times are varied for each platform (excluding blog posts) to avoid audience fatigue, which will also allow the company to track post analytics and determine if certain times are more successful than others, adjusting accordingly over time.   

For these two social media posts, I decided to target Jordan Price, "The Music Enthusiast". He is media-literate, skeptical of polished, "corporate" advertising, and actively avoids anything that feels like a "hard sell." He values authenticity, the creative process, and subcultures that feel discovered rather than manufactured. For my TikTok post, I chose to do a behind-the-scenes video showcasing the process of creating Vans from start to finish.  By showing the design lab, Vans treats Jordan like an industry peer rather than a consumer. He gets to see the actual software, the tactile materials, and the prototypes. This perspective appeals to his identity as a graphic designer. The post lacks the high-gloss finish of a sneaker launch, which aligns with Jordan's preference for DIY culture and transparency. By positioning the Vans Design Lab as a source of creative inspiration, the brand becomes a staple in his professional feed, not just his shopping ...

The Extreme Constraint Challenge This exercise involves taking a common product or service and applying a seemingly impossible, non-negotiable limitation to its design. The goal is to design the product only using your new rule. There is no time limit on this exercise, but I set a timer for 5 minutes just to gauge its difficulty. Steps: Select a Common Product/Service: Choose something simple that people use every day. Define the Extreme Constraint (The Rule) : Create one single, strict rule that fundamentally changes how the object must be made or used. The constraint must be a limitation, not a feature. Redesign : Sketch, write, or conceptually design the product/service while strictly adhering to the constraint. Ask yourself: "If this rule must be followed, what is the only possible solution?" When I tried this exercise, this was my result: Product: A dining chair Extreme Constraint: The chair must not use any legs that touch the ground Redesign: The chair is securely ...

We were asked to post 2 more blogs directed at another one of our marketing personas to help achieve our previously established marketing goals. Blog Post 3:  Beyond the Canvas: Your Vans, Your Masterpiece Blog Post 4:  Level Up Your Aesthetic This week, I chose Maya Chen, the "Creative College Trendsetter". The posts I wrote address several SMART Goals:  Increase User-Generated Content submissions using key hashtags by 30% in 6 months.  Increase engagement on TikTok and Instagram for collaborations by 25% among users aged 16-24 in 12 months (youth engagement). The reasons I chose Maya for this assignment start with Vans' core brand identity. Vans has always stood for creativity and self-expression.  Maya, as a Fashion Design student, embodies the core value of creativity and uses her clothing as a personal canvas. Targeting her allows the blog to authentically discuss customization, personal style, and aesthetic concepts, reinforcing Vans' position as a brand ...

This week has been a deep dive into marketing personas and how they completely shift your design game. Honestly, before this, I thought a "target audience" was much more general...like "ages 20-35". But after breaking down different specific, individual personas, it's clear that understanding who you're designing for changes everything . It's not just about making something look cool; it's about making it relatable. What really clicked for me was seeing how these personas directly informed the social media mock-ups. Designing a TikTok post for Maya meant thinking about quick cuts, mirror selfies, and "fit check" vibes, while a YouTube thumbnail for Riley demanded gritty durability shots and an honest review style. Everything had to align with their specific worlds. It's a reminder that design isn't just aesthetics; it's strategy, psychology, and really listening to who you're trying to connect with. It really helped put int...

For my first social media post, I chose to make a TikTok post aimed towards Maya Chen. As the "Creative College Trendsetter", she relies on TikTok for creativity and inspiration, as it provides short, curated videos. My goal was to show her that Vans isn't just for the skate community. Vans is also a creative and aesthetic brand; therefore, by posting a "Style My Vans" type of video, consumers like Maya can have a visual representation of Vans's versatility.  My second platform is YouTube, and I chose to target this post to Riley Thompson. Riley is the "Outdoor Adventure Weekender" and spends time researching gear before purchasing. She also prefers YouTube for longer, more in-depth videos, especially for product reviews by real consumers. One of her largest concerns is durability; she needs to be able to trust that her gear will last her a long time. She needs proof that the product is reliable, not just the company's word that it is. Waterpro...

The “Shift the Sense” Exercise Time: 2 minutes Materials: Anything you can see around you Steps: Pick one object in your immediate view.  (Example: a candle, keyboard, shoe, plant, cup) Choose a different sense than the one you normally use to experience it. If you normally see it, imagine experiencing it through sound, taste, texture, temperature, or smell. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Describe the object ONLY through the chosen sense, even if it makes no logical sense. (If you pick “sound,” describe how it would sound if it had a voice, a rhythm, a noise, etc.). No visuals allowed. When the timer ends, write one sentence that combines the real object with the imagined sensory version (a product idea, metaphor, or quirky description). When I tried this exercise, this is what I came up with: Object: Candle Chosen sense: Sound 2-minute description: “Soft crackle like rain, low hum like an old record, a warmth that sounds like someone whispering words of affection.” Final sente...

For this week's assignment, we were instructed to create headers for our company's social media accounts. I chose YouTube and TikTok, as those are the most commonly used platforms for my target demographics.  I went in this direction for TikTok because there is a limited number of characters allowed in the bio. It's short and to the point, inclusive of all demographics without trying too hard or sounding too "corporate". I also changed the logo that Vans actually uses because I thought this would translate well, whether the viewer is on light or dark mode on their devices. I added a call to action ("shop the drop") to increase traffic to the website, which aligns with my SMART goals as well. The YouTube header was a little more involved. I created a banner using compiled images and texture overlays to show the many facets of the brand: skating, music, and outdoors (all of which are different demographics within my marketing plan). I wanted to touch on th...

1. Luca Martinez: "The Skater Student" Demographics: 16 y/o Male, Suburban, Student.  Psychographics: Skill-focused, deeply influenced by peer validation. Primary Platform: TikTok Why: Skateboarding culture is visual and rapid. TikTok is the modern "skate tape." Pew Research (2025) notes that roughly 60% of teens use TikTok daily. For a 16-year-old male, the algorithm's ability to serve endless "trick tips" and "skate fails" makes it his primary entertainment and education feed. Secondary Platform: YouTube Why: YouTube is the #1 platform for teens (used by ~93% of teen boys). While he watches Shorts for entertainment, he relies on long-form content for detailed trick tutorials that TikTok can't provide.

Lately, I’ve been noticing an interesting shift in holiday design: our beloved ’90s Christmas nostalgia is getting a makeover...and people are calling it “Ralph Lauren Christmas”. Basically, take everything you remember from millennial childhood holidays (the warm, colored lights, the slightly chaotic ornaments, the cozy-but-cluttered living rooms...nothing really "curated", just vibes) and imagine it all filtered through a polished, preppy, plaid-filled lens. Suddenly, the same nostalgia comes with leather armchairs, tartan throws, brass accents, and evergreen everything. It’s like our old holiday memories went off to boarding school and came back extremely put-together. What makes this even more interesting is that it’s not a one-off thing. It’s something that happens over and over in design. Trend cycles love to take something sentimental, repackage it with a cooler, more elevated twist, and market it as an original concept. Think about how mid-century furniture went from...

For this assignment, we were asked to create a WordPress blog and to post 2 blogs directed at one of our marketing personas to help achieve our previously established marketing goals.  My first post:  We're SO Back! My second post:  Customize Me, Captain! I chose to cater my articles towards my Music Enthusiast persona, Jordan Price. A few of my goals happened to overlap with the articles I wrote, such as: Increase user-generated content submissions using key hashtags by 30% in 6 months. Increase engagement on TikTok and Instagram for collaborations by 25% among users age 16-24 in 12 months. Increase referral traffic from Instagram/TikTok pages by 20% in 6 months. Increase revenue generated from the "Vans Customs" personalization platform by 25% in the next 12 months. The reason I chose Jordan as my marketing persona is that, like his title suggests, he's a music enthusiast in the alternative scene. It would be fair to assume he would attend Warped Tour, and his core ...

Persona 1: "The Skater Student" Persona 2: "The College Trendsetter" Persona 3: "Music Scene Enthusiast" Persona 4: "Outdoor Adventure Weekender"

The “Limitless Uses” Sprint Time: 2 minutes Materials: Anything within reach Steps: Pick one object. Something small is best (rubber band, key, pen, hair clip, etc.) Set a timer for 2 minutes. List as many non-normal uses for the object as possible. Not how it’s meant to be used, how it could be used (tiny tools, metaphors, gestures, games, props, symbols, gadgets). No judging, no editing. Bad ideas count. Weird ideas count. Duplicate ideas with a twist count. Stop when the timer ends and choose your favorite unexpected use. Expand it in one sentence. Turn that odd idea into a mini concept. Here's what I got when I tried this exercise as an example: Object:  Paperclip. Rapid-fire alternate uses: Tiny lock-pick Mini sculpting tool Emergency SIM-card tray opener Bookmark Makeshift zipper pull Phone reset tool Earring back Cable organizer Plant stem support Microphone stand for a toy Handmade fishing hook Tiny catapult launcher Keychain loop “Pointer” for pres...

This week, I attempted the 30 Circles Challenge again to see if I could improve on my previous score of 13 in 3 minutes. I was able to get to 14, so we're seeing a small improvement!  I went to Universal Studios somewhat recently, so clearly Super Mario Bros. was on my mind with this one. With this exercise,  I'm learning to stop overthinking and to not perfect each idea as it comes. I'm trying to get into the habit of just letting the ideas flow and going back to correct/perfect them after the allotted time.