My Slang Bank

BRONZE Best use of Cultural Insights in Design
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Agency

TBWA Kuala Lumpur

Client

FIXI Books

Product/Service

Education/ Entertainment

Brief

Language changes every day, especially street language, where words pop up and disappear quickly. Those that appear will be used constantly (where the actual meaning may be subjected to interpretation) and those that go away will be forgotten almost immediately. How can we collect, document, explain, and preserve these words in a way that would appeal to Malaysians?

Solution

We wanted a place that Malaysians can learn from, and that we can update constantly. We decided to present MySlangBank as a visual dictionary, using Instagram as a platform. It allowed us to present something that was aesthetically pleasing, and also informative as well.

To make each posting stand out, and it to have that visual impact, we designed each posting differently, by using a variety of techniques, like vector illustration or collage. Each posting followed a format of three panels: the word, the definition, and the sample sentence. The designs must not just be aesthetically pleasing, but must also tell the story related to the word, or the sample sentence provided.

Inspiration came from traditional Malaysian elements, childhood memories, and pop culture references. When viewed as a grid, MySlangBank is an explosion of chaos and colour, much like the slang words used by Malaysians.

Credit

Chief Creative Officer: Gigi Lee
Creative Director: Fazlee Sabbaruddin

Copywriters:
Zhafirry Fenner
Zul Zakaria
Farah Rabiah
Zulika Shaharom
Fazlee Sabbaruddin
Marlina Padzil
Adora Roslan

Art Directors + Designers + Illustrators:
Sylvia