8. Past Winning Entries of IxDA (Part 1)

The IxDA, or Interaction Design Awards, was founded by a group called the Interaction Design Association. The awards were founded to "celebrate design thought leadership and innovation around the globe". Each year, the awards are meant to showcase how design is able to impact and improve human lives. In this  blog post, I intend on examining past winners and some of the finalists of the Connecting category of IxDA, and seeing what makes them truly extraordinary.

2012 Winner - Pepsi Refresh by Huge

Basically HUGE is a digital agency based in Brooklyn which made a campaign for Pepsi where Pepsi was giving out grants to different people and everyone could place votes on which causes they think the money should go to. It feels so strange knowing the design was created only 6 years ago, but somehow already feels a little dated (I'm sure if I saw this back in 2012 it would have blown my mind). The site refresheverything.com no longer exists, and redirects to Pepsi's website. Anyway the campaign is based off this optimistic idea that change can come from individuals, but I'm just gonna say 2012 America is very different from how it is now. For one, it was the year of "KONY 2012", back when people had a much more positive impression of social media being this force for change rather than a looming Big Brother figure selling your data to marketers. 
Media: Website, social media campaign, online banners, integrated media campaigns, TV, print, outdoor, college programs and retail display. 
Interaction: Users could either post the ideas that they're trying to make into a reality, and other users could vote on these
Connecting: Pepsi and people who need money? 

2013 Winner - Obama for America Mobile Campaign by thirteen23

thirteen23 made two mobile applications - for iOS and Android - aimed at lowering the barriers to entry for political activisim. The app allowed users to join in on the campaign, get the right forms to register as voters in their state, and receive information about local issues and how they relate to Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. The apps "aim to drive political participation at a grassroots level", helping volunteers as they walked door-to-door trying to get more people to vote. 
Media: Apps, on Android and iOS
Interaction: Get the newest information relating to the elections, volunteering opportunities, donate directly to the campaign, etc. 
Connecting: The political campaign and the people who wanted to find out more information or join the campaign and contribute however they can. 

2013 Finalist - JK5 by Lahti Institute of Design 

HOAS Pasila is a communal property for international students studying in Helsinki. As a part of a refurbishment and maintenance project, the walls and ceilings were painted in vibrant colours, and scribbling was encouraged. Students were given chalk to interact with the walls (and other residents) to their hearts' content. I just found this interesting as an example of interaction design that wasn't reliant on technology or high-tech devices. Just paint and a pile of chalk. 
Media: Walls, paint, chalk.
Interaction: Residents would interact with the queries and challenges painted on the walls.
Connecting: Residents and the building, as well as with each other. 

I realise that this blog post will probably turn into a series, but I won't post them consecutively - need to get back to my own project!




References:
Ixda.org. (n.d.). Interaction Design Association – IxDA. [online] Available at: https://ixda.org/ [Accessed 16 Oct. 2018].

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