The word “protestor” probably brings a few images to mind: a hazy scene of conflict, throngs of angry bystanders with politically charged signs and the police. While creative repurposing tends to trump product design when it comes to civil unrest, a class at the School of Visual Arts was recently tasked with designing for protest culture in a class called “Product, Brand and Experience,” for which the subtitle is the brief: “Consumer Products for Protestors.” [Disclosure: Core77 partner and Editor-at-Large Allan Chochinov is the Chair of the Products of Design Program.]
Damon Ahola and Richard Clarkson were among the students who took the class last semester, teaming up to design B. Super—a collection of transformative tools (including a utility belt) that transform the wearer/user into a superhero in minutes. See what they had to say about their experience and the product series they created:
Core77: Was there an “a-ha moment” that resulted in the idea for this series of products?
Damon Ahola & Richard Clarkson: We were discussing possible brand values and product directions early on in the process, Richard introduced the idea of superheroes. He was exploring the concept of superpowers in his thesis, so he was already quite knowledgeable about the topic. Damon quickly picked up the idea and immediately began sketching product concepts to give protesters a greater sense of confidence.
Could you walk me through the different products and their uses?
Each tool aids the protester in a specific task and is branded as such. The respirator mask,””breath,” assists in surviving airborne toxins. To elude authorities, “disguise” is a fake mustache kit at the ready. Duct tape, handy in any situation, is included as “repair.” “Relieve” is a lemon juice solution applied to allay the sting of pepper spray in the eye. As a mask, “hide” protects the protester’s identity. Embodied as “declare,” a rewritable roll-out canvas and marker act as a necessary communication tool. The single-use items are encased in a reusable box as “revive.” Finally, the starter kit including the belt system and three of the tools is “empower.”
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