scan-unit

The SCAN-Unit is an internationally-renowned research team embedded within the University of Vienna’s Faculty of Psychology, aiming to discover the neural underpinnings of empathy, a domain in which they have made pionieering contributions to the scientific landscape.

brief

Learning the institute required a brand image to better represent digitally, I took the initiative to conceptualize a visual identity as well as marketing material after contacting its head researcher.

One of their known pain points was the successful conduct of psychological and medical studies to help further research efforts. Potential participants would often have aversions to taking part in experiments. My proposition to counter this intrinsic problem revolves around building a more approachable and contemporary public image. Insights I had gathered from past promotional work for one of the faculty’s affiliates suggested that, by utilizing such an approach, measurable improvements in participation numbers can be achieved.

The biggest challenge, and ultimately why this concept was not selected for further development and adaptation after review by the SCAN-Unit’s staff researchers, was staying within the formal constraints of the university’s brand guide while also being engaging enough to draw attention from a young target audience. This first “visiontype” encapsulated a brand- and wordmark, stationery, a 3D-animated promotional video, sound design, and a promotion poster. The following is a brief showcase of some of the renders.