Bola is a design institute which uses behavioral research as a premise to its projects. We believe that in investigating and understanding what happens in society in order to develop ideas which are in tune with its aspirations. This is the foundation for what we call meaningful design. We work with the same research methodologies used by our sister-company, Box 1824, and with a multidisciplinary structure that includes anthropologists, semioticians, photographers and, naturally, designers.
April 30th, 2008
The new website of NGO Iniciativa Verde (Green Initiative) was supposed to gather several types of information, from technical explanations to the history of carbon neutralizations that took place in Brazil. In order to make the content more organized and easier to access, we designed the web site’s structure as information drawers: summarized texts that develop when the user clicks the ‘more’ button. In that way, users can have an overview of the website, and have an in-depth view only on the subjects they are interested in. We also had an editorial reformulation which included, for example, a Q&A section, which instructively explains how carbon neutralization works and what the NGO does. In the website, people can also quickly calculate and neutralize their carbon emissions. We have developed a visual calculator that reveals how many trees it would take to neutralize CO2 emissions in several environments (flights, cars, homes). At the end of the calculation, each user can order the trees to be planted right there and then, thus taking part on the initiative.
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April 30th, 2008
A hot air balloon resembling the shape of the pin used to point locations in Google Maps flew over São Paulo on 30 November, 2007. The action was a collaboration with agency Live AD, and it marked the launching of the Brazilian version of the website. The pin that marked virtual maps was actually shaped like a balloon in the first place, and visually it was already an icon in people’s minds. So, it would be easily recognized, even without the explicit name of the brand — which was essential in order to comply with the Clean City Act, which restricts advertisement in public places. The flight course and video can be seen on Google. Cameras on the balloon and two helicopters recorded the movement of cars, people passing by, buildings, etc. It had been eight years since a balloon had flown over São Paulo, due to the problem of air traffic. This called even more attention to the action, granting it three minutes of prime time Sunday television, on Globo TV’s Fantastico. Check out a quick making of in YouTube.
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February 25th, 2008
At BOLA Socioligy Design, we’re planning to publish a printed magazine every half year. The first issue which will uncover the street-basket culture in Brazil. The Street-basket culture is a interesting cultural manifestation started in North American suburbs among black youngsters. In the beginning it was as a kind of resistance and exaltation of their black inheritance. In Brazil, where Streetball is closely related to the Hip Hop movement, the search for the African background restores, in many ways, the self confidence in young suburban kids. It gives them a social role in which they feel integrated to a much broader community. Trying to understand such culture is a way to investigate how the black culture, which is so important to the Brazilian formation, manifests itself and interacts with other social manifestations in the country. Working with an anthologist, a journalist, a photographer and a graphic designer, the first issue will be out Q1 2008.
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September 10th, 2007
BOLA Design are working for Unilever to launch a new product in India. Photographer Jacob Langvad photographed the pictures of Ana Letícia Frediani from Ford Models Brazil. Helder and Lincoln from BOLA just got back from the presentation for Unilever in London with big smiles on their faces. More pictures after the jump.
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