Be Bold and Press Edit
Category
Campaign
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The “Be Bold & Press Edit” concept reframes participation in Wikipedia as a small but meaningful act of resistance against passive information consumption. Instead of relying on AI-generated answers or algorithm-driven summaries, the user is encouraged to actively contribute to the source itself.
About the Project
This project was developed as part of an exam assignment in research-driven concept development and strategic visual communication. Working from a brief for Wikipedia, the objective was to identify a contemporary communication challenge and transform it into a conceptually strong campaign.
Through qualitative and secondary research, I explored Wikipedia's changing role within an AI-driven information landscape. While it remains a fundamental source for search engines and generative AI, it is simultaneously experiencing declining visibility, traffic, and active contributors. This paradox became the foundation of the project.
The resulting concept, "Redacted Knowledge," visualises how collective knowledge gradually disappears when fewer people contribute to maintaining it. Inspired by fragmented historical archives and contemporary associations with censored documents, the visual identity communicates the importance of active participation in preserving open and reliable knowledge.
The final outcome consists of both a campaign film and an explainer video, each translating the same concept into complementary formats aimed at informing and engaging a younger audience.
Research and Concept Development
The project began with an extensive research phase investigating Wikipedia's position within today's digital information ecosystem. Interviews, secondary research, and analysis revealed that although millions rely on Wikipedia every day -either directly or indirectly through search engines and AI platforms - fewer people actively contribute to maintaining its content.
This insight led to the central creative question:
What happens when everyone uses knowledge, but fewer people help create it?
From this, the concept of "Redacted Knowledge" emerged. Rather than presenting missing knowledge as something that disappears instantly, the campaign visualises information gradually becoming fragmented and incomplete, reinforcing the idea that collective knowledge depends on collective participation.
Research and Concept Development
The project began with an extensive research phase investigating Wikipedia's position within today's digital information ecosystem. Interviews, secondary research, and analysis revealed that although millions rely on Wikipedia every day -either directly or indirectly through search engines and AI platforms - fewer people actively contribute to maintaining its content.
This insight led to the central creative question:
What happens when everyone uses knowledge, but fewer people help create it?
From this, the concept of "Redacted Knowledge" emerged. Rather than presenting missing knowledge as something that disappears instantly, the campaign visualises information gradually becoming fragmented and incomplete, reinforcing the idea that collective knowledge depends on collective participation.
Campaign Film
The campaign film focuses on creating an emotional and conceptual introduction to the issue. Rather than explaining Wikipedia directly, it invites viewers to experience the consequences of disappearing knowledge through a visual language built around censorship, fragmentation, and archival references.
The film establishes the campaign's core metaphor and encourages curiosity before directing viewers toward the broader campaign message.
Explainer Video
The explainer video expands on the campaign concept by translating a complex digital ecosystem into a clear and accessible narrative. Designed primarily for potential Wikipedians, it explains how Wikipedia supports search engines and generative AI while illustrating why individual contributions remain essential.
The visual language draws inspiration from metro signage and public information systems, prioritising clarity, readability, and communication in environments where viewers may only have a limited amount of attention. Motion design, typography, and the recurring "redacted" motif work together to simplify a technically complex subject without losing its conceptual foundation.
Reflection
This project challenged me to combine research, strategy, storytelling, and motion design within a single communication solution. More than creating a visual identity, the process involved translating a complex societal issue into a concept that could engage audiences across multiple media formats while remaining grounded in research.
