Lisa Sakai Quinley

Mission:

Acorn is a company that designs and develops fun, educational products for youth about dense subjects, specifically gender equality in the world. Acorn has broken down this topic into simpler themes and concepts that are spread out within three products. The Open Books Open Minds branch produces children’s books; the Partner Pairs memory card game approaches homosexual and heterosexual marriage as well as gender stereotypes within employment; and the Choice or Chance board game simulates life through the lens of gender equality. Acorn’s products introduce themes and concepts within gender equality to youth so as to promote discussion and provide awareness at a young age. The children’s books and memory card game are directed toward youth aged 4-7, whereas the board game is a special for families with a starting age of 9.

Why gender equality?

Gender equality is mistakenly believed to be an achieved reality in many countries, however this is far from the truth. There are underlying biases against both sexes in all aspects of life. little q's products are geared toward children who are at the prime ages of information and knowledge acquisition. By introducing gender equality in an approachable and entertaining way, we can provide the building blocks for future generations to create a society in which gender discrimination does not exist.

Acorn: Choice or Chance, Open Books Open Minds, Partner Pairs

Open Books Open Minds: Titles and Spread from Who Can Take Charge?

Open Books Open Minds: Every Team is Different! (Front Cover, Spread, Back and Front Spread)

Choice or Chance: Board Game, Packaging, Money Cards, Action and Career Cards, Game Guide, and Character Cards

Partner Pairs: Memory Card Game, Packaging and Cards

acorn Brand Architecture and Color Palette

Process

The first semester of my fourth year at Parsons was spent heavily on Adobe Illustrator creating the foundation for Acorn through the children's books and board game. Acorn was created initially through a set of illustrations for the children's book section, with stories that took real-life characteristics from the animals used and that were applicable to real-world examples of gender in family life. Alongside these illustrations for the children's books was the development of a board game that simulated life through the lens of gender equality. The second semester of the fourth year was spent alternating between Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator to create a variety of additions, edits, and integrations to the already existing Open Books Open Minds branch of Acorn and the Choice or Chance board game while also creating and developing the Partner Pairs memory card game. Finally Adobe Photoshop was used to create presentations of the products.

Initial Stories

First Storyboard

Board Iterations