We are interested in critiquing the contemporary wellness atmosphere across industries in the effort to create a better framework for a wellness model for the future.
Lisa Wei
Art and Design Director.
Egotistic Fitness
Toxic self-branding on social media for the fitness content.
Many individuals now consume fitness content on social media. But instead of promoting a wholesome lifestyle, many fitness influencers sell their own image as the standard for a "healthy" lifestyle. Through this presentation, we will explore the harmful effects of the toxic fitness culture, particularly on female viewers, and how it shapes their perception of their bodies and way of life. Furthermore, we discuss ways to combat this unhealthy culture and find appropriate self-branding for social media influencers.
Brian White
Project Manager
Protecting Your Passion
How to Fuel Your Passion, and cultivate a healthy
Joseph Meza
Technical Media Director
A Phone is a Leash
Impact of Socials on Adolescent Development
I often use instagram as a source of inspiration as many people do, and as such I am often stumbling on new and interesting accounts. I found myself going down this rabbit hole of accounts and taking in inspiration and being introduced to new topics. After a while I realized two of these accounts were actually a married couple who often showed off their child, made an account for him, and made him out to be a sort of “adolescent Evel Knievel.” I have been passively watching this child grow up during the pandemic, he is now around the age of 5 and going to school. With that being said I find myself questioning the state this next generation is going to inherit. How can I help my fellow cohort, or anyone in the future for that matter to better navigate this digital landscape their child will be born into for the better. Socials and technology are an unnecessary detriment to adolescent development because algorithms prevent freewill over the content consumed and stifles growth, but they do not have to be.
Kyle Jackson
Outreach Director
The Wellness Business Model
Why Wellness Companies Fail and What We Can Do To Create a Better Foundation for the Future
In 2023, wellness businesses are dropping like flies. Celebrity-backed companies like Goop and The Honest Company commanding a global platform and companies like 24 Hour Fitness and Yogaworks are going under. We see misguided businesses filing for bankruptcy because of a lack of commitment to their consumers. This workshop will take a look at the branding of different wellness companies in the food, beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and personal care industries. We will analyze concepts like consumer commodification, body positive image-making, and effective value propositioning in an effort to create a wellness business that is sustainable for the future. We will also propose a better business bureau-inspired code of ethics that each company must live by to stay relevant in today’s consumer-oriented landscape.
Greta Long
Facilitator
Rest as Ritual
The Case for Slowing Down in an age of Hyper-Productivity
A recent study released by TBWA Worldwide has declared that the needs of creative talent are no longer being met in the workplace, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and burnout. As we know, Graphic Designers are not exempt from this misfortune. Although our intentions are often pure, many of us perpetuate unhealthy standards of work / life balance within our immediate sphere. The pressure to compromise our personal well-being to succeed in the workplace is a key indicator of hyper-productivity, which is characterized by prolonged stress, insomnia, and isolation. In order to rewrite this narrative, we need a serious change of pace. Literally. It’s time to slow down, and prioritize the practice of rest as much as we prioritize the activity of work. In order to better ourselves – and by extension – the work environments that we are immersed in, we as designers must be inclined to create and consistently follow individualized habits that promote sleep, leisure, and social gathering. Let’s work to live, rather than living to work.
