BRANDON COCKRUM
Bringin' Home the Bacon Scratch-Off Ticket
At the Hoosier Lottery I generated a variety of Indiana-centric scratch-off ticket concepts based on market research and trend watching. One of my favorite concepts, Bringin' Home the Bacon, featuring a prize of bacon for life, was selected as a concept for player testing, where it was a top performer. Working with the Senior Product Manager, vendors, and other stakeholders, I drove refinements resulting in a final product with three industry firsts: 1) Paid sponsorship on a lottery ticket, 2) Scratchable "Did You Know" content, and 3) a Bacon Annuity.
Within seven days of launching, Bringin' Home the Bacon earned more than $8.5 million in earned media for the Hoosier Lottery (most lottery games earn little to nothing in media). The Huffington Post, Time, Playboy, Good Morning America, The Jimmy Kimmel Show, and news outlets from around the world published content focused on the innovative 20 years of bacon concept.
The ticket was chosen as a nominee for the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries' 2015 Scratch-Off Game of the Year.
My key tasks on this project were concept generation and product development as well as collaborative leadership.
Capitol Assets Branding & Website
At Kemyst, I worked with Capitol Assets to re-envision their brand and develop a new website that better reflected their organization and culture. Through collaborative sessions and the use of generative tools we developed an understanding of the client's working style, goals, and personalities, which then informed development. We wanted to convey key cultural concepts of round-the-clock commitment to the client, an established legacy of working relationships at the Indiana Statehouse, and extensive experience guiding diverse clientele through the legislative process. Personal traits of their staff were subtly implemented into the website design and messaging to deliver a brand and experience that was truly authentic and pride-inspiring. The website features modern usability and marketing best practices to assist with business development.
My key tasks on this project were business development, account management, project scoping, discovery research, creative facilitation, copywriting, and digital marketing.
Pet Tutor Concept Development & Brand
At Kemyst, I worked with a local entrepreneur and Priio, a product design firm, to research, ideate, and develop refined concepts for a modern and sophisticated dog-training device. I assisted with field research, participated in and facilitated a creative session, and developed elements of storyboards displaying desired product capabilities. The concept visualizations were used to communicate the product vision with product engineers and to generate interest with potential investors.
The second phase of the project involved the development of the Pet Tutor name and brand. I worked collaboratively with core stakeholders using ideation and generative techniques to develop concepts for brand names. After selecting a name, the previously discovered values and vision of the stakeholders informed product branding.
My key tasks on this project were business development, project scoping, research execution, creative facilitation, graphic design, and marketing.
Engineering Career Fair Experience with Cummins
At Kemyst, I worked with Cummins to help gain insight into the experience of students at the National Society of Black Engineers Career Fair. We employed video ethography, generative tools, and user interviews as part of our research process. Our research reporting deliverable included video, graphic visualizations, and written explanations of our findings. Cummins has used the information to improve the storytelling of their brand and enhance the visitor experience at career fairs to increase the quantity and quality of candidates they are attracting in a highly competitive environment.
My key tasks on this project were project scoping, research design, research execution, research analysis, video editing, graphic design, and copywriting.
Crowdfunding for Non-Profits Infographic
We developed the “Crowdfunding for Nonprofits” infographic at Kemyst primarily to help a potential client in the non-profit industry. After talking with the client it was clear that they were interested in using crowdfunding but that the number of options and the details were overwhelming. Through secondary research I studied the industry and utilized my sense making skills to create a table outlining the different services. I shared the table with the creative director and we collaborated on a more sophisticated visual design that informed the final infographic that was produced. The infogrpahic was widely shared through social media and I still see links and references to the visual. By the way, we landed the client, and they credited the infographic as a key reason for choosing us.
My key tasks on this project were problem solving, secondary research, sensemaking, collaboration, visual communication, and copywriting.
Pregnant and Parenting Teens Communication Tools
Kemyst partnered with Attic Design Collective and engaged in design research and prototype testing to develop a method of communication between pregnant and parenting adolescents and health organizations such as the Indiana State Department of Health. After prototyping, the journals were selected for implementation and participating teens received monthly journals with information, maps, and activities designed to help them: 1) make, 2) prepare for, and 3) keep recommended healthcare appointments. Completed journals served as research tools for the healthcare officials.
My key tasks on this project were facilitating the design research analysis and concept development phases with a small group of designers.