Challenge

In this course, Instructor Roland Young challenged students to create an evocative print campaign that both raised awareness and elevated understanding of a social, political, or environmental cause. Within the wider scope of social problems, I chose to find a subject that is often overlooked; that of sex education.

Strategy

Everyone goes through puberty, but no one wants to talk about it. It’s an awkward, confusing, and sometimes horrifying time, but it’s also humorous, exciting, and inevitable. Currently, most public schools in the US either do not teach sex education or teach abstinence only sex education, both of which have led to a dramatic increase in unplanned pregnancies, STDs, and heightened anxiety among youth. When materials are made available, they are poorly designed, clinical, outdated, and ‘uncool’. I strove to create a line of sex education products that spoke to teens in their own language, used humor to ease awkwardness, covered the topics they cared about most, and empowered them with the resources necessary to make healthy decisions.

Results

Dick & Jane is whimsical, culturally relevant, and factual. The materials transform ‘the birds and the bees’ from an uncomfortable conversation into a bold, interactive experience. The line, which is comprised of a deck of sex education cards, locker posters, discreet safe sex kits, large format posters, and a web site, provides youth with information that can be read privately or shared with others. The line not only includes medical information, but also culturally relevant, factual information about the topics that teens are most curious about. While the cards, kits, and web site are aimed at youth, the poster campaign targets parents and educators, encouraging them to take an active role in the sexual health and understanding of our youth.