Bullies really get this goat
Interactive book created for Ministry of Education claims top design award
Afriendly animated goat who teaches children how to deal with bullies was celebrated at a glitzy awards dinner last night.
The interactive storybook, created for the Ministry of Education, has delighted Kiwi children around the country and was among several winners at the Best Design Awards.
Among the finalist designs was a pig’s bottom which demonstrated artificial insemination, an icecream which looked like a colossal squid, and a chatbot which answered scammers, wasting their time.
From 1200 entries, Oat the Goat, designed by creative agency FCB and production company Assembly for the ministry, took out the coveted purple pin in the interactive and moving image categories.
The web-based story was created
with children aged 4 to 7 in mind and can be played in English or te reo Ma¯ ori.
The unique story, launched in May during Bullying-Free Week, aims to teach children the importance of being kind to one another.
Judges said the project was “masterfully crafted, immersive storytelling that tackles a difficult issue with grace”.
“It pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved in a web browser,” they added.
Another big winner was the animal check-up wall and magical forest at Starship Hospital, which was awarded the purple pin for creative user experience. The picture wall comes to life with different animal nurse or doctor characters to take children through check-ups.
Lions teach children to open their mouths wide, meerkats read heart rates and blowfish help to coach different breathing rhythms.
Designers RUSH Digital and Watermark Creative were tasked with finding a way to calm children and prepare them for treatment.
The magical forest is a calming space for children to relax and enjoy quiet time. Virtual birds and flowers react to the child’s movements — move slowly to see flowers blossom and birds pollinate them, move too quickly and they will be scared off.
“On average our team treats 100 children per day who arrive requiring care in the emergency department — from fixing broken arms to the resuscitation of a very sick child,” said Anna-Marie Grace, nurse unit manager at Starship’s children’s emergency department. “The digital interaction distracts children as they wait for treatment.”
The judges said: “The team delivered a delightful experience that combined interactive technology and immersive design which had the user at the centre from start to finish.”
The awards night, at Viaduct Events Centre, is the biggest for the Australasian design industry and is organised by the Designers Institute of New Zealand, recognising the strongest work in nine categories.
“New Zealand designers continue to blow me away with the design quality and thinking behind the client work,” said chief executive of the Designers Institute Cathy Veninga.