Zola Brand Campaign
"How can zola show it’s more than just registries?"
OUR SOLUTION // Get back to what matters most: the couples experience
Situation
Zola is a one stop destination for couples.
From engagement to wedding and life as newlyweds they offer an ecosystem of solutions including free wedding sites, invitations, registries, guest lists, and even honeymoon funds. But while their model has disrupted the wedding category, they’re still recognized only for their registries.
Zola needs to show it’s more by expressing its brand promise to engage young couples and signal the depth of the Zola ecosystem.
Our Approach
We set out to understand what it’s like to plan a wedding in an age of Pinterest & TLC
the world of WEDDINGs
Our dream weddings feel more within reach than ever
The proliferation of wedding content has given us permission to dream up the unimaginable. Donut walls? Yes. Llamas? Absolutely. Fog photoshoot? You betcha.
It’s a spiral effect, leaving us caught up in frivolous details:
Ultimately our society’s more focused on HOW it comes to life vs. WHY we’re getting married in the first place…
the modern couple
They’re planning to commit but already in the thick of it.
Today’s couples reject the traditional linear path, opting for one that fits their lifestyle and their relationship:
49% of couples have a pet together
77% of married couples live together before walking down the aisle
55% of 28-34 year old millennial parents had their child before marriage
“People are not postponing marriage because they care about marriage less, but because they care about marriage more.”
but there’s a disconnect:
While couples prioritize celebrating their commitment…
…The wedding industry prioritizes their consumerism
“Words used to describe their wedding”
“Words used to describe the wedding industry”
Couples view the industry that’s meant to serve them as self-serving, offering up brands, products, services, and content that ultimately come at the expense of their wallets, relationships, and futures.
It takes the ‘happiest time of their life’ and turns it into the ‘most stressful time of their life’
96% of couples say it’s ‘stressful’ (with 40% saying it’s ‘extremely’ or ‘very’ stressful)
46% of couples have considered eloping or getting married at city hall
1 in 4 couples have considered taking the money and running
KEY INSIGHT
Weddings have become about anything other than the couple getting married.
“The wedding industry sometimes disgusts me because it feels like it is the epitome of consumerism. Pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into how the wedding looks as opposed to focusing on the purpose of it all, celebrating two peoples love.”
opportunitY
Zola will do anything for love
Zola doesn’t just make it easier and more efficient for today’s couples to get married, it puts today’s couples at the center of everything it does. It makes starting their lives together more positive for every couple - from engagement to wedding to honeymoon to first year of marriage, and beyond...
In a category seen as self-serving, Zola will be the selfless brand that focuses on the couple above all else.
Strategy
For the love of couples
CREATIVE IDEA
results
A campaign applauded for its modernity & inclusivity, a huge spike in site traffic, and a few ruffled a few feathers along the way.
NYTimes BuzzFeed Adweek CNN Washington Post Fast Company MSNBC
Team
Dayna Uleda (Associate Strategy Director), Carly Harrison (Strategist), Kara Coyle (Creative Director), Tim Noble (Associate Creative Director), Grace Hwang (Art Director), Austin McDonnell (Brand Manager)
My Role
Collaborated on consumer wedding survey
Analyzed primary and secondary research to present to client
Created facilitation guides and worksheets and conducted creative testing/research groups in NYC & CHI
Collaborated to craft creative strategy