NEXT GEN RACING
EF Collection
Project: Animated series, character design & interactive
Made by: North Kingdom & EF
Role: Art Director & Lead Designerr
Client: EF Education First
Year: 2017 — 19
North Kingdom
EF Education First
EF Small Stars
For three years, North Kingdom worked closely with EF to promote their digital channels. The projects varied a lot and we worked with both their offices in Shanghai and Switzerland.
1 — ARGYLE, EF PRO CYCLING
In 2019, EF Education First Pro Cycling is set to race cycling’s most iconic races & tackle alternative events off the beaten path of traditional road racing.
Therefor Joel Hladecek, Worldwide Creative Officer at EF Education First, wanted us to see if we could help them develop a crocodile character with the keywords "Our guy, Argyle". For final delivery we presented the design of the character in three different poses.
2 — Small Stars
Small Stars is a digital program that I had the privilege to create in collaboration with EF. Our goal was to provide 3-to-6 year olds in Asia with an engaging and enjoyable way to learn a new language. Through this project, we aimed to create a world where children could expand their knowledge in a fun and creative way. As a designer, I was thrilled to be a part of a project that had a positive impact on education and provided a new avenue for children to learn.
In collaboration with EF Education First, we created Small Stars, a digital program aimed at providing young learners in Asia with an interactive and engaging way to learn English. As the Art Director and Lead Designer, my team and I designed a range of characters, illustrated over 150 concepts, and developed a 360 learning platform that featured interactive puppets. We used 3D modeling to bring the characters to life and created a 30-episode animated series. Our goal was to create an immersive learning experience that would captivate and inspire young learners.
EF Education First is one of the largest English-language training providers in China, with more than 300 schools located in 60 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Working closely with Joel Hladecek, Worldwide Creative Officer at EF Education First, allowed me to further develop my skills as an Art Director and Lead Designer, while contributing to a project with a positive impact on education.
Below are some work-in-progress images of our character development process. The original 2D illustrations were provided by EF Asia, while the remaining work was completed internally by North Kingdom.
3 — Booking Flow
EF places great importance on their booking process, which is a vital aspect of their business. As such, they approached us to explore ways in which we could enhance the online booking flow in a creative and innovative manner. Our team took on this challenge and worked closely with EF to develop a seamless and user-friendly online booking experience that streamlined the process and made it more enjoyable for EF's customers. The end result was a successful collaboration that improved the user experience and helped EF achieve their business objectives.
Our aim was to infuse the booking journey with a modern and innovative twist. To achieve this, we conducted extensive experimentation with a variety of design solutions, including school architectures, character design, and animation. Our team explored a range of creative options to find the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics, resulting in a booking journey that was both visually striking and user-friendly. Through our iterative process, we refined our designs to create a seamless user experience that conveyed EF's brand identity while adding a fresh and modern touch.
