Mäya x CNIB
Challenge
The Covid-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented time that has affected many people, including blind Canadians. Due to disruptions in routine, many seeing-eye dogs have been retiring earlier than expected, leaving many “without their eyes.”
The challenge was creating a product and campaign to raise awareness and provide funding to the cause by utilizing research, packaging, and product design.
Solution
The solution began with researching the effect of the pandemic on blind Canadians and creating a product where 100% of the profits would go to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind or CNIB's Puppy with a Purpose campaign. The design pays homage to texture and light reflection and can be enjoyable for everyone with its tactile features and minimal design.
The majority of blind individuals do not see pure nothingness or darkness, but rather some outlines, shadows, and reflections of light. The solution was alluding to this by having the packaging all black with raised vinyl elements that are also black, playing on tactile and light. Maintaining focus on vision and community, I purposefully avoided imagery of puppies or dogs. Instead, implementing the eye icon with a heart pupil and braille lashes, reading "Always Love," thus highlighting shared vision and empathy.
This incentivizes donations by providing those who purchase the product an elevated gift, thus, enmeshing fashion, awareness and social change.
