Darwin's Ark is the world's largest pet citizen science project.
Client
Darwin's Ark
Year
2021
Services
Digital Strategy
Creative Direction
Brand Identity
UX/UI Design
Package Design
About Darwin’s Ark
Darwin’s Ark leads the field of advanced scientific research, shedding new light on the evolution of dog and cat DNA from their wild origins to beloved family members. Partnering with scientists from MIT and Harvard, we embarked on a mission to elevate Darwin’s Ark’s brand and product strategy and enhance their digital experience for animal DNA services. With no existing product or brand framework and a visual identity that lagged behind competitors, our goal was to build a compelling, unified brand that resonates with both the general public and the scientific community—encouraging dog owners to engage as dedicated Citizen Scientists.
The Creative Concept
Our creative vision was to reflect the organic essence of our canine and feline companions, crafting an identity system that feels dynamic and vibrant. We aimed for fluidity in design while ensuring a bold, graphic quality that stands out across diverse touchpoints.
A “one-line” illustration style was adopted for the paster brand as well as the sub-brands for dogs and cats. We crafted the brands with this illustration style in mind, yet added a bold, contemporary edge to the marks and overall design system.
The Approach
We started by developing a brand and digital strategy/architecture that would allow for growth over time as Darwin’s Ark scientific research offerings expand. Move into developing a visual system that speaks to multiple audiences and positions the organization as a serious leader in the advanced sciences space. We then rolled out a strategic design system to web, mobile, and packaging. We are now developing a roadmap for future products and services that enhance extend their core products and services.
Interaction Design
We crafted an engaging digital experience across multiple platforms, making it easy for pet owners to join Darwin’s Ark’s citizen science community, request a DNA kit, and connect with other pet owners and scientists. The identity system came to life with dynamic infographics, enabling users to visualize and share their pet’s DNA results in an engaging, accessible way. The design team developed a comprehensive set of wireframes and high-resolution prototypes to test specific interaction details and language with a diverse community of pet owners and scientists.
The Results
In the first year, we helped the Darwin’s Ark team grow their community across the United States, strengthening relationships with active pet owners and is expanding efforts into Europe. Currently, there are 35,339 dogs registered and 3,666,848 responses collected and the program is expanding to working dogs, cats, and tick research to further enhance our understanding of pet health issues.
We created a responsive, user-centric website experience that facilitates seamless enrollment and ongoing engagement. The visual system was extended to packaging, advertising and various marketing materials. Social channels were established to inform the community and foster greater engagement. To increase the quantity and quality of data accessible to Darwin’s Ark, we are developing new tools for community members to record their pet’s behavior, including iPhone and Apple Watch applications for on-the-go pet tracking, data recording, and alerts..
Darwin’s Ark was recently featured on the cover of Science Magazine!
To become part of the citizen science community & request a free DNA kit, please visit the Darwin’s Ark website
