SHOP
The goal of this project, entitled The Positive Affect has two major objectives. First and foremost, the purpose is to provide individuals with brief messages in their circadian habitat that empower them with methods for increased mental, physical, and emotional health. Secondly, provide them with information that pointedly portrays what stress does to one’s self, how attitude is directly related to health, and how these methods, if integrated into a daily routine, can be beneficial. We see the significance of this subject due to recent studies conducted by the American Psychological Association. According to the APA the number of individuals who feel as though they are under extreme stress on a day to day basis is 44% and has been on a steady rise over the past number of years. Due to economic instability, unemployment rates, and numerous daily tasks that seem to exceed the amount of time allowed to complete them, the amount of stress in our culture has been increasing. This is directly related to the wellbeing of an individual, and can harm one’s mental, physical, and emotional health. This campaign will be delivered to the audience in two main stages. The short, instructional messages are distributed to the public through the use of street art. Represented in by bold, colorful images, these messages will demand the attention of passersby. These messages direct them to www.itmakesyouhappier.com, where they are presented with information clarifying how these methods are proven to alleviate stress. The use of a guerilla street art campaign, allows the message to be observed by the public, and sparks interest due to Phenomenology (the idea of regenerating a sense of wonder to one’s environment). This chosen medium is important in multiple ways. Not only are the messages more evident than they may be if produced though the use of a more conventional process, but it also forces the viewer to become more observant of their surroundings, breaking the convention of unmindful, mechanical, daily sequences. Because of the window of time allowed for their attention is brief, likewise, these messages are short and concise. Once their attention is seized, however, they then see that additional information is available in the web presence. Since the viewer is intentionally going to the web presence to gain more information, this is the perfect vehicle for more substantial and lengthy amounts of information and explanations. Although the content is deeper online, itmakesyouhappier.com is aesthetically similar to its street art counterparts. The same use of color and bold images coinciding with the information is present there. The target audience of this campaign is those between the ages of seventeen and twenty-nine. Studies by the APA have shown that habits that produce stress are being formed at this age. By informing individuals at an age where the stressors of life are just beginning to have legitimate impact, the amount of stress accumulated over the years can be diminished. This is the intention of The Positive Affect: to empower those who have not yet become so set in stressful habits with ways to combat the stressors of this world in a simple format that demands their attention and explains how these methods do so. By observing The Positive Affect campaign, the audience will gain a well-rounded understanding of the relationship of stress, contentment, and how those effect one’s health. They will be empowered with methods that they are able to use to combat stressors on a day-to-day basis and thus alleviate the amount of stress for this generation.