Elaina Neal

A reimagining of alcohol education through youth-centred visual communication.

My project explored how design can help address alcohol awareness among young people in Aotearoa, New Zealand. I interpreted the course brief by creating an engaging and culturally sensitive campaign that encouraged reflection rather than fear-based messaging. I focused on a young audience who experience social pressures and mixed messages surrounding drinking. The main idea driving my design was that alcohol education can be more effective when it is conversational, relatable, and visually authentic. Through iterative, practice-led processes, I developed a multi-platform campaign using photography, digital experimentation, and audience collaboration. I used tools such as Figma, InDesign, and Photoshop to prototype and refine the work, supported by feedback from peers, lecturers, and industry professionals. The campaign used a vintage digital camera aesthetic to connect with contemporary Gen Z culture and highlight real, candid experiences. By combining visual storytelling with accessible design, the project aimed to reframe drinking as a personal and social choice rather than a cultural expectation. My design is significant because it contributes a more empathetic, youth-driven approach to public health communication, showing how creative design can foster awareness, reflection, and positive social change in Aotearoa’s drinking culture.