Jadeco

Academic • Sep-Dec 2024

Team: Sooa Mo, Irena O., Madeline H., Summayyah M., Zeeyad M., Kailun W.

0. Overview

This was a collaborative academic project with Jadeco, a home decor brand expanding from China to Vancouver. Over the course of a semester, our team worked closely with the client to develop brand communication strategies tailored to the Canadian market. Focusing on products like candle holders and book stands, we explored how Jadeco could build local recognition through thoughtful presentation, packaging, and digital engagement.

1. My Role

Field Research · Visual Storyboarding

I led the field research, visiting home decor and lifestyle stores across Metro Vancouver to observe product display, pricing, and customer behavior. I also illustrated all visual storyboards used in the project, helping communicate speculative marketing ideas such as QR-linked thank-you cards and community-driven Instagram engagement.

2. Design Decision

• Retail Research & Market Observation

To better understand the local market, I conducted field research at home decor shops across Metro Vancouver. I documented product presentation, pricing strategies, and promotional techniques—focusing on items like candle holders and book stands. These insights informed how we positioned Jadeco’s products for a new audience.

Fig.1: Notes and photos from my research conducted during September–October, exploring visual merchandising trends and customer behavior.

• Visual Storyboarding

I visualized several speculative marketing concepts to help the brand build more meaningful connections with local customers. These included:

– Using Instagram posts to communicate brand tone and lifestyle appeal

– Creating QR-linked thank-you cards that lead to community content

– Highlighting thoughtful packaging to enhance giftability

– Suggesting a short brand video to emotionally engage viewers

Each storyboard aimed to translate customer insight into visually compelling narratives.

Fig.2: Storyboard showing how social media can strengthen the brand–customer relationship.

Fig.3: A QR code-linked thank-you card designed to invite customers into Jadeco’s community.

Fig.4: A storyboard emphasizing product packaging, promoting Jadeco items as meaningful gifts.

Fig.5: A visual outline proposing a brand video to increase recognition and storytelling impact.

• Brand Film Guideline (Illustration & Editing)

I collaborated with the team to build a clear visual and narrative structure for Jadeco’s brand film. I contributed hand-drawn illustrations to guide the storyline and later edited the final video using those visuals.

Fig.6: Selected pages (4, 7, 8) from the brand film guideline where my illustrations and design input were central to shaping the final direction

3. Takeaway

Through field research, I discovered what captures the interest of local customers—such as traditional aesthetics, cultural familiarity, and eco-conscious values. These insights helped me realize that effective design requires more than surface-level appeal; it calls for a deeper understanding of context. Moving forward, I aim to approach problems with a more dimensional perspective, using research to guide thoughtful and culturally responsive design decisions.