And
Problem to Solve
How might we create a gender neutral brand identity for a line of period products?
what i did
Branding, Packaging, Motion
Duration
8 weeks
collaborators
redefining gender norms
Gender dysphoria is defined as distress caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and their anatomy1. For some trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people, the experience of menstruation can trigger intense feelings of gender dysphoria, as many associate menstruation with femininity. This association perpetuates harm, as not all women menstruate and not all people who menstruate identify as women. The menstrual care industry plays an important role in redefining gender norms by exemplifying inclusive representation. 
made for people with periods, period
Through extensive market research and brand discovery process, the identity of And emerged as an inclusive, high quality product line committed to meeting the needs of people with periods and disrupting outdated gender norms in the industry. And, inspired by the word ‘androgynous,’ is for him and her and them and you—And is for all of us.  

LOGO
And’s primary logomark is a quirky, custom ampersand. A curated collection of alternate ampersands are used as a visual element throughout the brand, embodying the celebration of nonconformity that is essential to And.
social strategy
The content strategy for And's social platforms provides structure and intention to the brand's feed. Content categories are education and advocacy, engagement, sales, and brand awareness.
Research & Discovery Process
market analysis
The project brief was to design a brand for gender neutral hygiene products with a focus on sustainability. After initial market analysis, my partner and I identified a gap in the menstrual care space—there are no 100% gender neutral period products on the market. While most brands have shifted their language to be more inclusive, avoiding she and her pronouns, photography and color palettes remain female-focused. 
customer personas
The next step in our research phase included circulating a survey and diving deep into existing research on the experience of menstruation for trans and nonbinary people. The findings from this research directly informed the three user personas that we referred back to throughout the design process. 
customer personas
A key takeaway from our research was how painful the experience of gender dysphoria can be for trans and nonbinary people. We identified an opportunity for a new brand in this female-focused industry to set an example of what integrated gender-inclusivity can look like. 
customer personas
defining the brand character
To define the character of the brand, we used a collection of images to begin distilling what the brand is and is not. At this stage, finding the right words to describe something that has not yet taken shape can be a challenge, so we used imagery as a tool to help unravel the character of the brand. 
getting specific
We plotted the photos on a spectrum of what the brand is on one side to what is not at the other end, and then discussed which qualities of each photo felt pertinent to the brand.
Embracing, nonconforming, and unexpected
At this end of this process, we arrived at three distinct character traits: embracing, nonconforming, and unexpected. We then explored what each of these traits looks and feels like using a few select photos from the exercise but largely pulling in new reference material. 
concept development
The final concept board is a blend of the three traits and summed up in the phrase, “nonconformity is the spice of life.” The art direction is gender-inclusive and celebrates the spectrum of expression through the use of a variety of shapes, text that engages and embraces photography, and a neutral palette with bold yellow as an accent.
identifying touchpoints
We identified which touchpoints a customer would engage with at various stages in their relationship with the brand. We considered where a customer might first discover the brand, what types of experiences might encourage a customer to support the brand repeatedly. This process informed which assets we developed and the design approach for each specific asset.
Read about the process behind And
x Close process
market analysis
The project brief was to design a brand for gender neutral hygiene products with a focus on sustainability. After initial market analysis, my partner and I identified a gap in the menstrual care space—there are no 100% gender neutral period products on the market. While most brands have shifted their language to be more inclusive, avoiding she and her pronouns, photography and color palettes remain female-focused. 
customer personas
The next step in our research phase included circulating a survey and diving deep into existing research on the experience of menstruation for trans and nonbinary people. The findings from this research directly informed the three user personas that we referred back to throughout the design process. 
customer personas
A key takeaway from our research was how painful the experience of gender dysphoria can be for trans and nonbinary people. We identified an opportunity for a new brand in this female-focused industry to set an example of what integrated gender-inclusivity can look like. 
customer personas
defining the brand character
To define the character of the brand, we used a collection of images to begin distilling what the brand is and is not. At this stage, finding the right words to describe something that has not yet taken shape can be a challenge, so we used imagery as a tool to help unravel the character of the brand. 
getting specific
We plotted the photos on a spectrum of what the brand is on one side to what is not at the other end, and then discussed which qualities of each photo felt pertinent to the brand.
Embracing, nonconforming, and unexpected
At this end of this process, we arrived at three distinct character traits: embracing, nonconforming, and unexpected. We then explored what each of these traits looks and feels like using a few select photos from the exercise but largely pulling in new reference material. 
concept development
The final concept board is a blend of the three traits and summed up in the phrase, “nonconformity is the spice of life.” The art direction is gender-inclusive and celebrates the spectrum of expression through the use of a variety of shapes, text that engages and embraces photography, and a neutral palette with bold yellow as an accent.
identifying touchpoints
We identified which touchpoints a customer would engage with at various stages in their relationship with the brand. We considered where a customer might first discover the brand, what types of experiences might encourage a customer to support the brand repeatedly. This process informed which assets we developed and the design approach for each specific asset.
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