ideas – Zack Chia

Continuing my journey into UX

Posted on August 19, 2018August 19, 2018 by Zack Chia

It’s been a while I have updated my blog. I am currently working on multiple projects and what is worth noting is the interest in UX these days. here is a recent idea that I thought of and really wanted to share. It is a case study I worked on over a duration of 3 days. It focuses on the problems people face when it comes to food. Have a good read. It is also now featured on UX Collective. Its a great blog, please go check out other UX writers’ work too!

My UX solution for a better food experience in Singapore

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Volkswagen microbus

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Zack Chia

Missing the vintage Volkswagen van?

Well, good news. The Volkswagen microbus is now officially back and should be an excellent option to the van. What’s even more astounding would be the fact that VW is launching it as an electric model!

Check out more of the microbus here:

http://www.businessinsider.sg/volkswagen-bus-electric-concept-microbus-photos-2017-1/?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=referral&r=US&IR=T

Rock these

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Zack Chia

I thought these sneakers were pretty cool. Check out new work by Adidas Originals and United Arrows & Sons. Their design for the NMD CS2 was indeed pretty interesting. Something about soft sneakers and that interwoven material makes it so desirable for a weekend shoe. Definitely something I would add into my footwear inventory.

Black ice cream?

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Zack Chia

Wow, these are pretty unique. Im an ice cream lover and must say these look pretty exotic.These days if it’s not unique, its got to be unconventional. Especially with so much hype around colorful foods, the black waffles here is actually standing out from the mass.

Make up like a pro

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Zack Chia

Things happen really fast in a retail environment. While brands continue to inject as much promotions as they can in this cluttered space, consumers are swamped to the point of breaking down. Where then is the effort to build a true relationship with the shoppers? Giving more discounts just makes the brand look cheap while stuffing new product features and collaterals just turn shoppers off literally. So, what are brands missing here? Capitalising the opportunity to engage with technology. Take a look at Make Up For Ever’s NYC Flagship store with their solution to the increasing need for product testing before purchase. Many beauty enthusiasts would love to have a go at the products before making their purchase. The idea here is to use Go Pro camera technology for their make up stations.

The strategic location of the station in the middle of the store attracts customers and intrigues them. While there are Makeup Masters at all the different stations, their role aren’t really to help the customers apply make up. Instead, they assist by customising the shades in the boxes for the respective customer. They provide advice and styling tips to the customers who ultimately apply and test the products themselves. I love the angle where the brand positions itself at – “Tutorials with a pro – not by a pro”. Marvellous use of technology and brand experience.

Chips dont lie

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Zack Chia

Who doesn’t love booze with great company after work? We all do. And for the most part of it, beer always taste better with good food. Never mind the traditional pair up of beer with pastas or burgers, chips are still the best choice. Probably still the most popular choice for an after work soccer match with your homies! Now, Doritos have once again created something interesting. The Frito-Lay continues to amaze me with their Tostitos’s “Party Safe” bag. Wait a minute, did I just said party safe? Yes i did. That means you now party without the constant fear of driving home drunk.

The pack of chips is actually going to heighten your awareness of alcohol level as well as do the favour of getting you a decent ride home. Pretty nifty trick i did say.

A concept by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, the bag comes equipped with a device that is connected with a microcontroller. It is somewhat calibrated to detect alcohol from the person’s breath. Should the sensors detect alcohol presence, it immediately signals red and what you see is an image of a steering wheel! On top of that, an Uber code is created, indicating a message: “Don’t drink and drive”.

With near-field communication (NFC) technology, you can even tap the bag with your smartphone to activate the ride. With all the campaigns going on against drunk driving and Uber’s ongoing promotions, Tostitos are throwing n the $10 off deals during the period as well as after the Feb 5 Super bowl game. Well played.

Beverage for the summer

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Zack Chia

Check out the new flavor from ClemenGold Gin. Love the new branding and visuals. Based in South Africa, the brand had its product designed by agency ‘Fanakalo’, with a strong emphasis on bright flavor colors. Looking for a really awesome beverage to beat summer? Here it is.

Back to the future in 40 years

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Zack Chia

Simple yet concise. There are things about the Japanese culture which makes it so unique and attractive. Be it their music, culture or fashion, everything seems to have that very special flair that could almost transcend reality. Clothes that might look so weird and ideas so radical making its way on to the streets, becoming an everyday affair is proof of the society’s acceptance to constant change. How did youth culture transformed traditional mentality into what it is today? Check out this video by Japanese agency, Hakuhodo, as they create this amazing mash of music video to illustrate the transition of times for Beams in the last 40 years. Amazing work.

Fly!

Posted on September 6, 2016 by Zack Chia

While working on a previous brief for a client of mine, the idea of VR struck us in the midst of our brainstorming session. Some cringe while others embrace it passionately. Consumer VR experience in today’s context revolves greatly in a ‘controlled’ interactive environment. Why is that so? It becomes extremely challenging to bridge that level of experience into consumer retail, exhibition or even online. Brands are riding on the technology wave but are always skeptical about its outcome and especially for those who are cautious of the perceptions from their target audience. So, we have always had a conservative approach to emerging technologies. Have a look at Parrot’s new Drone plane. The drone offers real time flight experience by allowing the user to navigate the flight from a first person view. The “Disco” drone is no mediocre technology. It ramps up to 80km/hr and its glide trajectory is almost impeccable. Running at 45mins per flight, it allows consumers now to own a piece of technology that brings drone flights to a whole new experience. VR is no longer just a novelty experience used to boost brand’s ego but a usable technology that consumers can indulge in.

Video on the go

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Zack Chia

Image source: Digitaltrends

By now, you should be so used to having a separate app on your mobile phone that is used solely for your conversations held in Facebook. The Facebook messaging app is certainly a very developed platform that was clearly planned ahead of its launch. I remember how it used to annoyed me when I had to download a separate app just for Facebook messaging. But the flip side of having an additional app also meant that we now can have more features within the app making it more robust in features. Not only are you now able to continue text messaging, you can also have the video loading in tandem. It also gives you customizable features like muting the video while you type. Facebook continues to embed more into our daily lives and making many subtle adjustments to accommodate our user experience. Is your brand thinking along the same direction?