CONNECTING THROUGH LOCKDOWN
2020 | SERVICES: BRANDING, SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS & STRATEGY
WHATWEDID2020 was an Instagram account created to help people reconnect online by sharing one personal win (big or small) during the COVID-19 lockdown. The goal was to foster reflection, connection, and hope through shared experiences.
Emotion in Design
During lockdown, I often felt disconnected and hopeless. To counter these feelings, I turned to mindfulness, focusing on what I could control and acknowledging my achievements. This practice ultimately led to the creation of WhatWeDid2020.
Bringing the Idea to Life
This project was deeply personal for all contributors. To maintain authenticity, submissions were handwritten, then scanned and uploaded—allowing people to express themselves creatively. The project’s simple branding featured a serif font, a minimal template, and a coloured semi-circle. Contributors could choose their favourite colour, and when displayed on the Instagram feed, the semi-circles could visually connect—symbolising unity.
How People Felt & final thoughts
The response was overwhelmingly positive from the moment the project launched. Over 30 submissions were received, celebrating wins ranging from spending more time with family to building a home climbing wall with a friend. Several Instagram accounts shared WhatWeDid2020 with their audiences, encouraging more contributions.
Beyond the submissions, I received heartfelt messages from people in my online community, sparking meaningful, eye-opening conversations. Starting this project was a leap of faith—I wasn’t sure if people would participate. But through WhatWeDid2020, I quickly realised that we all seek the same things: connection and fulfilment.
