Love Takes Work

Task

This self-initiated project was part of a unit designed to reflect contemporary design practice. Students were tasked with creating their own brief, grounded in personal interests and values, and developing it from research and concept through to a prototype. The focus was on identifying a meaningful theme or challenge, researching the field, and creating design outcomes that could exist in a contemporary, real-world context.

Process

With a strong interest in animal welfare, I turned my focus to dog shelters to see if there was a way I could contribute through design. In a conversation with a shelter worker, I learned that one of the biggest challenges isn’t just finding homes for dogs, it’s that many are returned after adoption. She compared the bond between a dog and its owner to any other relationship, which sparked my idea: a campaign focusing on what happens after adoption. While most campaigns romanticise the moment of adoption, Love Takes Work addresses the reality that building trust takes time, patience, and sometimes help. By framing this through the lens of relationship therapy, a concept increasingly normalised for people, the campaign uses humour and relatability to show that seeking support is never something to be ashamed of.