Purpose

Do you encounter names you can't pronounce? Are you often mispronounced? Do you wonder about the language and culture behind unfamiliar characters? Names are a vital part of our identity, representing unique cultural backgrounds. Mispronunciations are common, especially in diverse university settings with students and professors from various cultures. Our program aims to reduce this awkwardness by making it easier to pronounce names correctly and offering a new social way for young generations to explore new languages.

Name Card - Name Matters.

Services

  • Creative Conceptualization

  • Illustration

  • AR Filter

  • Visual Design

  • Motion Design

  • Color Selection

Credits

  • The One Club Program for Duolingo

  • Edelman Mentors

    Jesse Suchmann, Executive Creative Director

    Megan Skelly, Executive Creative Director

  • Design and Creative Team

    Zixuan Zhang, Kefan Shi, Neige Guo, Gabriela Bastidas


Phenomenon and Problem

The phenomenon of mispronouncing names happens all the time in the life. According to Race Equality Matters, about 73% of people have experienced having their names mispronounced.

As one of the people of the Z Generation, international students of different races have always been a group we care about. We can find an amazing number from the data of international students by NCEC and OpenDoors Data. Since 2022, there have been close to 1M international students studying and reading in the U.S. from different countries and cultures every year. Therefore, our team continued to do interviews and research. In the interviews, we amazingly felt the phenomenon of negative emotions brought by mispronouncing names.

  • “My name has never been pronounced correctly."

  • “I felt pressured to introduce my real name, so I adopted a more ‘Americanized‘ name."

  • “The professor looked at me and said:’ I know that face, I just cannot pronounce your name’."

Question

  • How do people share their names and their stories?

  • How do we make it easy to pronounce names correctly?

  • How can we make sharing names to be fun and cool?

Challenge and Solution

In this project, we aimed to infuse fun into learning, inspired by Duolingo's playful brand culture. Our goal was to make the introduction of the name less awkward and more engaging, aligning with the humor and lightheartedness seen in social media content about mispronouncing names, which people find entertaining. Meanwhile, let people feel that it is an important issue that needs to be solved.

Names are indeed personal and serious, but they can also be a source of fun. Introducing names in a playful manner can lighten the mood, especially in awkward first meetings. For our target group, we envisioned this happening during Orientation Days —a time filled with both excitement and nervousness. By making introductions interesting and enjoyable, we aim to create a memorable and comfortable atmosphere for everyone.

  • How do people share their names and their stories?

    After defining our usage scenarios and audience, the next step was determining how to effectively share and communicate our ideas. We recognized the mobile phone as a crucial communication medium, especially for Gen Z, given its independent and easy distribution capabilities.

    This led us to the concept of using ID cards as carriers of "name and content." The idea of an "e-ID card" that can be downloaded from our website became our starting point. These e-cards allow users to customize their names and access interesting stories in a clear, engaging format, making the introduction process both fun and memorable.

  • How do we make it easy to pronounce names correctly?

    The best way to pronounce names is for users to say their own names. We believe this is possible and creates a warm, interactive experience. Two methods emerged: voice and video. Both allow direct interaction and accurate pronunciation. For this project, we chose video due to its greater possibilities. This decision leads us to our next question.

  • How can we make sharing names to be fun and cool?

    Being fun and cool is the highlight of our project, especially for our Gen Z users, who value these qualities. We aimed to make the product interactive and shareable on social media platforms. To achieve this, we needed a simple yet stylish way to present videos. Our favorite solution is using AR filters, a popular method on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

    AR filters allow users to enhance their videos with fun and creative stickers that we design. This approach not only makes the videos more engaging but also encourages users to participate in #Challenge, sharing their names and stories. This strategy promotes our project and boosts its reach and interaction, aligning perfectly with the fun and cool attitude we aim to embody.

Summery

This project aims to address name mispronunciation, especially in a diverse college environment. We will create an interactive platform allowing users to learn name pronunciation through personalized video content with language stories behind the names. AR filters that will enhance the videos with creative stickers to make learning fun and shareable on social media. We believe this idea will be enhanced even more in the future, involving expanding into more languages and adding interactive features to show users increased educational value and engagement.


AR Filter Design

Illustration and AR Filter Design

We paid particular attention to the preferences and behavior patterns of Gen Z. Our research shows that stickers are extremely popular among Gen Z, not only for their fun and diverse nature but also because they serve as a medium for expressing individuality. Through stickers, young people can showcase their interests, emotions, and attitudes, thereby standing out on social platforms and in everyday life. Therefore, we aim to incorporate sticker elements into our design to better attract this generation of users and establish an emotional connection with them.

With Duo's cute and quirky personality, I designed a series of stickers with different expressions. These stickers not only highlight Duo's character but also enhance interactivity and fun. Each sticker reflects Duo's eccentric yet humorous and distinctive personality, aiming to delight and surprise users. Through these designs, I hope to provide a vibrant and personalized platform where Gen Z users can freely express themselves while also experiencing the infectious charm of Duo.


Motion Design