Social LAU:ndry

Social:LAUndry is a research-led campaign for the University of the Arts London, built to break a pattern most universities never actually solve: students defaulting to the same social circles they started in, even inside one of the most diverse creative communities in London.

Grounded in research into homophily and the psychology of small talk, the concept brings together a visual identity, a campus-wide poster campaign, a physical matching keychain and a companion app, turning the everyday awkwardness of sharing space with a stranger into the trigger for real connection. Tested with real students before launch, it gives UAL's creative community an actual mechanism for meeting outside their existing circles, not just an appeal to do so.

Year

2023

Scope

Research, Strategy, UX/UI

Case Study

The starting point was research, not a mood board. A literature review into homophily, social ritual and the psychology of small talk showed that people avoid strangers not because they dislike connection, but because the first move feels awkward. Social:LAUndry designs for that exact moment, using playful, slightly exaggerated interventions that turn the awkwardness itself into the joke, and curiosity into the trigger for a first conversation.

A strategic, modern identity built to scale. Branding, guidelines, and assets unify every digital and print interaction.

Annual publications, web design, and marketing materials consistently reflect the Foundation’s purpose and presence.

The system has four connected parts: a visual identity, a campus-wide poster campaign, a physical Sole Mate keychain system, and a companion app. Every student receives a sock-shaped keychain in a unique pattern alongside their UAL ID, then hunts for their match across the student body, a low-stakes, physical excuse to approach someone new. Finding your match unlocks the next step in the app, where students can keep the connection going and search across courses and disciplines to find collaborators long after the first conversation ends.

One decision needed rethinking. The "sole mate" mechanic, matching identical keychains, is built on similarity, while the project's whole point is celebrating difference. Rather than change the mechanic, I reframed what it meant: finding your match doesn't celebrate sameness, it shows that even a diverse student body still shares real common ground.

Case Study

The visual identity embraces bold colour, playful typography and expressive pattern work inspired by the diversity of the UAL community itself, every keychain pattern is unique, echoing the logic the whole campaign is built on: difference is the point of connection, not a barrier to it. The same graphic language runs across posters, keychains, ID cards and the app, so the system reads as one campaign rather than four separate deliverables.

A strategic, modern identity built to scale. Branding, guidelines, and assets unify every digital and print interaction.

Annual publications, web design, and marketing materials consistently reflect the Foundation’s purpose and presence.

Before launch, the app was tested with four students on task-based exercises, no guidance given beyond a short concept explainer. Two things changed as a result: the sole mate progress showed as a visual only, so I added a plain text summary since people couldn't read their status from it, and three of four expected the contact book under Messages rather than Connect, so I added it there too.

Case Study