Hazel Murray
Vóta is a literacy app that makes voting easily accessible for young people. Vóta also has a campaign that encourages young people to cast their vote and download the app.
This campaign includes a fun incentive programme called Vote Night; which celebrates democracy by rewarding voters with a wristband for a free drink of their choice when they cast their vote!
In the 2024 European Social Survey, only 50% of people aged 18–34 voted in Ireland’s most recent election - compared to 90% of those aged 60 and over. Ireland clearly has an issue with young voter turnout and this particular statistic worried me as young people will have less say in policies that affect long-term issues, such as housing or climate. I chose to focus on the youngest demographic
of voters as they are still in school, entering the workforce or continuing their education. Getting people engaged with voting early on is very important as they
are more likely to continue to vote as they get older.
My solution to this issue is vóta; an accessible voting literacy app supported by an eye catching and encouraging campaign. The goal is to make voting less intimidating by making the relevant political information easily accessible in one app. By making this information more approachable, vóta aims to empower young people and improve voter turnout.
“Weak Women, Strong Drink”: Guinness Advertisements as a Reflection of Irish Gender Norms (1970s-1980s)
My thesis analyses how Guinness advertisements reflected Irish gender norms from the 1970s - 1980s. It explores Guinness' evolution from being sold as a purely masculine beverage to targeting female consumers. I analyse how Catholic authority influenced gender norms in Ireland in the late 20th century and how this came to a head in the 1970s. I investigate the changing roles of Irish women through the 1970s - 1980s during an evolving political and legal landscape. Throughout this thesis I investigate the role of women within pub culture, how this culture has influenced Guinness’ advertising strategy, and how Guinness evolved their brand identity as women gained more legal and social freedoms.
Hello! I’m Hazel, a multidisciplinary designer with a passion for design strategy, illustration, typography, branding and art direction. I enjoy working across both print and screen applications to communicate engaging stories and experiences. My design process is all about understanding people and their challenges to create practical solutions that truly make a difference. I’m looking forward to putting everything that I have learnt at IADT into practice in the real world and continuing to develop my skillset after graduating!
