This is a recurring segment during the month of January on Scripps News, that informs consumers about how to engage with the product Social Sobriety. The segments were created to breakdown the concept of Socially Sober, and highlight how to engage with this during dry January.
I worked for Scripps News in the Creative Studio as a Designer. I ideated based on the reporter’s brief, developed the concept, illustrated the vectors, designed each frame, and animated this piece.
The socially sober movement was the latest craze, but quite different from AA or other support groups. It was controversial because its user wasn’t Alcoholics but people who felt they overdid it during the holidays and want a break. The socially sober movement was a way of life, something that gen z was using to define themselves with. This is a controversial topic in the recovery world, how will this translate to animated graphics.
As a designer, it felt my first obligation was to define who the Social Sober user was, so that I didnt make the grave mistake of conflating them with someone who uses AA. Why was this distinction so important? Those in recovery rarely drink mocktails, as research shows the body follows patterns of behavior. Once you’ve kicked a behavior pattern supplementing the behavior with a synthetic version leaves the user more likely to crave the original behavior and can onset a relapse. Socially Sober users in theory wouldn’t have this issue as they are looking for a different lifestyle or a pause. This debate is a pain point within the movement.
It became clear the ideal persona is 24 years old, cares about their health and fitness, is social but can’t be bothered with having a hang over. If given the choice to go hiking or to a happy hour they will always pick hiking.
Reporting and producing by Jauné Jackson. Graphics by Jen Meller. Package includes open, promo, bump, and side bars. Jauné Jackson approached me at the end of 2023 with a new take on dry January called “Socially Sober.” We developed recipes and side bars that conveyed the cocktails look as well as the ingredients. These can be seen below.
