Sprout
Mindful Consumption, Simplified
Problem
On average, an American creates around 4lbs of solid waste each day (EPA).
Items that are thrown away are often made of materials that will continue to exist for hundreds of years after. Despite the environmental impact of excess waste, the norm is to buy cheaply-produced items that are used just a couple of times before being thrown away.
According to an OECD survey, two-thirds of households are willing to make lifestyle changes to benefit the environment. With this, I wondered how to make it more accessible for individuals to make those lifestyle changes and make their actions more impactful.
Objective
Change sprouts from one small action, and Sprout aims to nurture that.
Sprout supports an individual’s motivation to be intentional in order to lessen their environmental impact. By building on behavioral science techniques for habit building, Sprout aims to encourage each individual to become a mindful consumer through personalized system-based actions, accessible and engaging resources, and a welcoming and uplifting community.
As an individual builds their financial habits, especially in their 20’s, Sprout guides them to build better financial habits through intentional purchasing, combining environmental action with saving money.
The Brand
From the beginning, I wanted this brand to be inviting and empowering, encouraging people to make small changes in a space that is optimistic and judgement-free. My challenge was figuring out how best to create a brand that felt welcoming and motivating, not motivating people through guilt, but through a deeper inner drive to make personal changes.
As the target audience is 15-35, the bold, rounded logo and bright colors appeal to a younger audience. This helps the audience feel connected with the brand easier, and makes mindful consumption feel more familiar and like other content they see, rather than unfamiliar and intimidating.
The App
Spreading the Word
From the start, I didn’t envision Sprout as just an app. It was a system that could expand to social media and even to community-building. A social media presence could introduce new changes, motivate people to keep up with changes, or introduce them to other like-minded people. I even questioned how Sprout could motivate people on the street and make mindful consumption common and achievable, not just something people see from afar and admire.
