Graphic designer Daniela Schmid aka Hopsi has been a jovoto creative for almost five years. She has taken part in 37 projects and uploaded over 100 ideas on the platform! Earlier this year, her idea in the Help the Helpers project for Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe impressed both the client and her fellow jovoto creatives and earned her a total of €1350 in awards! We love to celebrate and give insights into the creative minds behind the design output, so we got in touch with Daniela to talk about this project, her creative process in general and more…
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe has been providing help in the aftermath of earthquakes, storms, floods, droughts or for those fleeing violent conflicts – all over the world for 60+ years. They partnered with jovoto to collaborate with our global creative community to come up with new ideas for an awareness and fundraising campaign. Daniela’s design “Vor Ort / on-site” was one of two ideas selected for the client’s choice award and licensed by the client. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe’s motto is “ready to help, ready to act, globally” (“Weltweit hilfsbereit – weltweit tatkräftig”) – but it’s important to note that they do not send “helpers” into communities, rather they work with local partner organizations on the ground. Daniela’s design highlights the helpers (in blue) running towards where help is needed while others are fleeing.
Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Daniela! First up, what was it about the Help the Helpers project that caught your eye?
I like to work conceptually and the brief to develop an image campaign for a non-profit immediately interested me. Inspiring the public to donate to aid organisations and making them aware of the work they do is a great task. As a graphic designer, I am happy if I can contribute an idea that helps the cause.
Tell us about your idea (Vor Ort / on-site) and the process of getting to the final version?
When developing ideas for a project, I keep going back to the task to consider the wishes of the client. The Help the Helpers brief included examples of other campaigns that Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe liked, which was very helpful. It was evident that a particularly catchy and memorable message was very important to them. I was happy to take the half-time feedback on board, which re-focused the importance of moving image content as part of the submission. Hicham Bahr, a fellow jovoto creative, also gave me some invaluable feedback about colour selection and the animated version of my design.
Tell us a bit about your creative process in general: what do you do after reading a brief for the first time? Where do you go for inspiration?
In general, I write down the most important sentences and terms from a briefing in my sketchbook, then I start to sketch the first ideas or motifs. I write down the keywords and everything that comes to my mind in association with them. This is my first brainstorming.
I have the best ideas at night – with three children, I don’t get much sleep! Often, I think about ideas for briefs when I’m lying next to them, trying to get them to sleep in the evening. Also, walking in the woods with our dog is a wonderful time to think through a topic and related ideas.
What is your favourite type of project to work on?
I love creating a whole campaign – adapting with the same visual elements and/or slogans for different contexts. There should always be a common thread running through the designs, meaning there’s a strong recognition value – something that impacts the viewer. Greenpeace’s anti cheap meat campaign is a good example – and also a topic very close to my heart.
Illustration is my second passion, so I also enjoy projects in which I can express my artistic side – like the limited edition projects for Victorinox or Ricola.
In these types of projects, I can combine modern Photoshop illustrations with hand-drawn watercolour elements and create exciting combinations.
If you weren’t a graphic designer, what would you be?
It was clear to me very early on that I wanted to pursue a creative profession. Craftsmanship and creativity is part of my family’s DNA. So, if I wasn’t a graphic designer, maybe I would be a jewelry or interior designer!
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, I always loved listening to audio stories. I would speak along with them and knew almost all my 163 tapes off by heart! I also used to record my own stories with a tape recorder (does anyone remember them?!). So, I wanted to become an audio story writer!
Is there anything that you would like to know more about, but haven’t had the time to look into?
The whole topic of social media interests me, but I also find it a bit daunting, because there are always new things to keep up with. I would like to understand more and be more active, but after my job, jovoto projects and the kids, it’s not always easy to find the time!
How did you first hear about jovoto and what makes you keep coming back?
I love design challenges and searched online for opportunities. I found jovoto and was impressed by all the different well-known clients that turn to jovoto for creative ideas. I find it exciting and inspiring to see the designs of other designers from all over the world. Of course, the incentive to earn an award is very motivating, but also the fun of interacting with other creatives and learning from each is important for me. Also, the flexibility, being able to choose when I work is perfect for me as a mother with a busy schedule to pursue my passion and work on interesting and challenging projects.
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Want to follow in Daniela’s footsteps and work on innovative and meaningful projects for big-name brands and NGOs? Find out more about being a part of jovoto’s global creative community and, if you are ready to jump in, join today!
Find out more about Daniela and her work on her website:danielaschmid.me