Overview & Challenge
At HYPERCONNECT, I served as a Graphic and Motion Designer for Azar, their flagship real-time social discovery service. My primary goal was to enhance the overall visual excellence of the product and its marketing efforts across both the Azar app and the new 'Azar Go' web service. The core message was to convey the excitement of instant, global connections, encouraging user acquisition and engagement.
Given Azar's global reach and frequent use of human characters, a key challenge was to proactively address potential racial or cultural sensitivities while maintaining a friendly and inclusive brand image. Additionally, with fast-paced development cycles, we needed a system that allowed for quick testing and seamless collaboration.
Hyperconnect
Azar Go Beta: Website Main Page
My Approach & Solution
Strategic Visual Storytelling for Web & Marketing
I led the graphic design efforts, focusing on strategic visual communication. This involved creating diverse motion graphics assets for in-app ads, country-specific marketing campaigns, and a pivotal piece for the Azar Go website.
Strategic Web Intro Motion Graphic: For the launch of Azar Go, I designed and produced a character-based motion graphic, under 20 seconds, for the website's landing page. This short, engaging animation was specifically crafted to instantly capture visitor attention, succinctly convey the app's core features, and compel sign-ups. I focused on simplifying complex UI/UX concepts into an easily digestible visual narrative that highlighted the service's core value of connection.
Azar App: Interactive Character Nudges for Gender Selection
UX Enhancement & Design System Optimization
Proactive User Experience Enhancement & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Recognizing the importance of in-app UX animations, I proposed interactive character nudges within the gender selection process to provide users with a more engaging and personalized onboarding experience. By designing subtle, gender-specific motions to intuitively guide user choices, I aimed to increase conversion rates for female users. I then collaborated closely with developers to successfully implement these functionalities. To ensure seamless workflow, I established and distributed updated brand and motion guidelines that were easy for both designers and developers to use and modify, significantly boosting efficiency in our fast-paced environment.
Azar Character Design Experiment
"To ensure racial inclusivity, characters’ hair was standardized to Azar’s signature green with 'blowing in the wind' motions that echo the core 'swipe' interaction; companion animals were added as sub-characters to further enhance approachability."
Azar: Splash Screen | Cat and Dog Character Design
Human Character Design and Guide
"Inclusive Character Redesign & Guidelines: To ensure cultural sensitivity and global consistency, I proactively established a comprehensive system—including diverse skin tones, color palettes, and adaptable outline versions—that effectively standardized our brand identity across all platforms."
Overall Impact & Results
The motion graphic assets I created were extensively integrated into Azar's marketing campaigns, driving significant business outcomes:
Increased App Downloads & User Acquisition: Engaging motion ads led to a substantial improvement in conversion rates for new users. For the Azar Go webpage, the 20-second motion graphic reduced initial bounce rates and boosted click-through rates.
Enhanced Brand Awareness & User Engagement: Visually exciting animations elevated Azar's brand awareness and encouraged users to explore and interact more with the app's features.
Stronger Brand Image & User Trust: By implementing diversity-respecting character guidelines and enhancing the user experience, we successfully built a positive, inclusive, and trustworthy brand image among our global user base.
Character Design:
Elevating Hyperconnect's Brand Identity
These character designs showcase various concepts developed to embody the overarching brand identity of HYPERCONNECT, the parent company and creator of Azar. This exploration extended beyond human figures, incorporating diverse character types intended for versatile use—from app icons to multi-channel brand communications—to broadly represent the company's multifaceted nature.
