Keren Levi Faran
Project: Passion Project, App, Landing Page, SaaS Platform
Role: UX|UI Design | Branding
Tools: Figma, WireGen, Miro, Clipdrop AI, Base SaaS UI Kit
CrowdAD
Generate Influence
"We are all storytellers. We are all journalists.
We are all broadcasters."
Marshall McLuhan
Digital marketing's relentless push for consumer attention has backfired, leading to noise, disengagement, and a breakdown of trust. My aim with CrowdAD was to disrupt this through the democratizing power of AI.
CrowdAD empowers everyday users to create personalized ads that feature themselves, fostering authenticity and meaningful influencer marketing. Brands connect with engaged audiences through user-generated campaigns radiating genuine appeal.
Challenge
Traditional advertising alienates users with impersonal bombardment. It's an unsustainable model lacking authentic connection, eroding consumer trust and marketing efficacy.
Role
As a passionate digital marketing insider, I channeled my frustration into creating a user-centric solution. Solely responsible for CrowdAD's research, UX design, and strategy, I prioritized empowering user choice in advertising.
Approach
-
Empathetic Research: Understanding user anxieties about ads and brand relationships was crucial in forging a new paradigm.
-
AI Focused: Generative AI technology held the key to seamless customization – making users both the message and the creators.
-
Intuitive Design: Balancing brand messaging with user self-expression led to a platform promoting creativity within accessible frameworks.
Results
CrowdAD delivers the missing piece in contemporary advertising: personal meaning. This benefits the user, brand, and marketing as a whole. It proves that authenticity is not just desirable; it drives measurable results.
Technology Democratizes Power, CrowdAD Fuels User Influence
CrowdAD seeks to engage a digital-native audience (ages 18-35) immersed in social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Our research uncovered their key drivers:
Fatigue: Users are exhausted by disruptive, impersonal ads. They crave authentic experiences reflecting their voice and passions.
Control: There's a desire for ownership within advertising. Users want to be active participants, not passive consumers.
Rewards & Recognition: Incentives matter, from tangible discounts to a boost in social recognition. These enhance their perceived value as brand collaborators.
User Research Showcase: Understanding The Need for Change
Dana Johnson: Efficiency as Innovation
Amidst the whirlwind of managing multiple client campaigns, Dana, a savvy social media pro, is constantly searching for the following visual asset that's both fresh and authentic. But between endless stock image sites and time-consuming content creation, she's frustrated. Traditional methods offer diminishing returns – she needs high-quality, on-brand visuals in a fraction of the time. Could CrowdAD offer a solution built for the speed and authenticity demanded by her clients?
Our research revealed three primary user types, defined by unique goals and frustrations. Understanding these needs became the backbone of our design process, where empathy-driven solutions address real-world pain points. Here's an overview emphasizing specific design choices we'll explore in detail:
Introducing User Journeys: Translating Motivation into Design
David, The Deal Seeker:
To ensure trust and highlight savings potential, CrowdAD offers:
-
Seamless ad sharing on deal forums he already uses.
-
Focused notifications that reflect his values like sustainability.
-
A rewards dashboard links actions to earned benefits.
This SWOT guided decision-making at every stage, ensuring user needs and growth remain aligned. With a firm grasp of our strengths, weaknesses, and the marketing landscape, we created a brand identity as disruptive and impactful as the platform itself. Our goal was to evoke the power of individuality, the excitement of genuine connection, and the trust built through transparent collaboration.
A thorough SWOT analysis revealed opportunities and challenges ahead. Key highlights informing our design roadmap included:
Strengths to Emphasize: CrowdAD's unique tech-driven, user-centric model needed showcasing. Visual marketing materials highlight our AI-powered image-blending, user control, and the authentic "human" heart of the platform.
Weaknesses Into Action: A proactive onboarding strategy was vital for rapid user base growth. Design choices (tooltips, progress bars) prioritized ease of use to counteract early frustrations. Similarly, transparent privacy policies establish trust from the start.
Opportunities = Growth: Features inspired by trending influencer marketing prioritize long-term engagement (not just initial clicks). Tiered rewards and gamification systems offer incentives and maintain excitement.
Threats Inspire Vigilance: Our evolving market needs a flexible technology backbone. Adapting to new regulations and user expectations with speed and transparency will keep us ahead of competitors.
SWOT: Mapping Strategic Direction
The CrowdAD journey demonstrates the transformative power of human-centered design in addressing both practical needs and ethical concerns within the marketing landscape. This case study highlights a few key lessons:
Empathy as a Gamechanger: Understanding user frustration and the more profound desire for control and genuine expression catalyzed innovation. Features like customizable templates and tiered rewards don't just exist; they address underlying motivators, ensuring buy-in from diverse users.
Tech Elevates, It Doesn't Replace: Tools like Clipdrop AI were harnessed to unlock seamless image-blending, empowering users rather than automating them out of the process. This reinforces the core belief that authentic ads begin with genuine people.
Data & Intuition Work Together: Our insights were qualitative (user journeys, interviews) and quantitative (campaign metrics, click-through rates). A purely data-driven dashboard needs to include the 'why,' while un-contextualized user feedback misses opportunities for improvement our platform seized.
The Future is Collaborative: A robust SaaS portal enables brands to manage multiple campaigns, track results, and tap into the insights unlocked by user data. These features were informed by ongoing conversations with early brand partners, fostering collaborative relationships essential in this industry.
Visual Proof: Where Ideas Meet Execution
Clipdrop mockup of a persona seamlessly integrated into a real-world ad, conveying the platform's promise in a single image.
CrowdAD: More Than a Case Study
This project exemplifies my passion for designing solutions to complex real-world problems. It validates my belief that disrupting an industry starts with simple questions: What if users found creating ads enjoyable? What if brands and audiences didn't have to be adversaries?
But CrowdAD's journey isn't just about solving immediate problems; it's about sparking something bigger. It's a blueprint for a more inclusive, ethical marketing landscape where individual creativity matters. Users shouldn't be seen as targets but collaborators whose genuine endorsements wield tremendous influence.
Albert Einstein eloquently said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun." CrowdAD unlocks this potential by placing creative tools directly in the hands of users, fostering a joy in self-expression that translates into brand messaging, both authentic and persuasive. It's proof that innovation within advertising doesn't mean dehumanizing it – it means going back to the source of assertive communication: people sharing their passions with others.
Final Thoughts: Disrupting Advertising, Empowering People
Our visual identity needed empowerment, authenticity, and innovation to attract engaged users and brands ready to engage in a new marketing paradigm. Here's how design choices translate those core values into CrowdAD's visual brand experience:
The Power of a Name: Why "CrowdAD" Resonates
Crowd: This reinforces that individual users drive our platform. Images celebrating people as stars align with this brand message, further encouraging sign-ups.
AD: Though 'shortened,' this keeps us firmly grounded in our purpose. While not stuffy, it avoids feeling like just another "share your life" platform and signals professionalism for brands.
Mood Board: Inspiration to Interface
Our mood board research wasn't simply aesthetic but behavioral.
Color Story: Purposeful Palettes
Blue isn't Boring: Our shade choices convey trustworthy tech users expect as they trust us with data.
Less is More: Minimal accent colors ensure user content remains the focus within the app itself.
Logo: Simple as Disruptor
Name = Star: A logo focused on the name reinforces what makes CrowdAD stand out (not some flashy symbol users forget).
Flexibility is Key: Adapting across backgrounds is more than technical. It ensures the logo works even on busy user images without sacrificing impact, proving our platform respects, not erases, their work.
Typography Matters: Roboto is Our Ally
Concise Reasoning: This readable font balances a modern feel with the tech side of our platform. The varied weights allow for a clear information hierarchy within the app without visual clutter.
CrowdAD Brand Guidelines: Empowering Expression, Ensuring Consistency
David Thompson: Cutting Through The Bargain Clutter
A budget-conscious family man, David loves a good deal but hates sacrificing quality. He's wary of generic ads pushing random products; he trusts real people. A savvy shopper, he uses comparison tools but also seeks trusted recommendations. His pain point? Endless deal sites feel overwhelming rather than empowering. Could CrowdAD's user-powered content help him cut through the noise and discover genuinely valuable products?
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Peter Drucker
Olivia Ramirez: Creative Expression as Currency
Ambitious influencer Olivia thrives on creativity, but with a small audience and saturated niche, she needs help to reach brands with genuine synergy. While content quality is vital, so is finding brands whose values align with her aesthetic. Olivia believes her authentic self translates into powerful brand storytelling. Can CrowdAD's tools help her showcase this unique talent to attract more than just followers but collaborators?
Dana, The Ambitious Strategist:
Built-in features to enhance both her reputation and client success:
-
Robust analytics prove how CrowdAD aids her data-driven approach.
-
Curated templates allow her to showcase her visual sensibilities.
-
A client-facing interface exudes a professional polish.
Olivia, The Rising Star:
CrowdAD helps her cultivate her voice and attract the right collaborations:
-
Advanced editing tools enable unique visual branding beyond templates.
-
Brand matchmaking prioritizes her niche appeal and audience demographics.
-
The tiered system rewards success with exclusive opportunities, furthering visibility.
