Booklet Case Study

Project Overview

Universal Yums in a subscription snack box that delivers a curated selection of snacks from a different country, every month. Beyond just the snacks, one of the key features of the subscription box is the included content: a booklet that details the cultural and historical significance of each snack, as well as fun content revolving around the featured country. Also included is a map of said country, with callouts to key points of interest. Every month, I would be responsible for creating the content for both deliverables, ensuring a fun, accurate, and educational experience.

Target Audience: young families with children

Research & Fact Checking
Before diving into the writing process, first comes research. The key to creating educational content is to ensure that the brand can be trusted as an expert. This is accomplished not only through writing style, but through thorough research and fact-checking. To achieve this level of confidence, multiple methodologies were used.

AI Assistance: Instead of jumping out into that big ocean we call the internet, AI tools, particularly ChatGPT are the first stop in the research process. After feeding it prompts to discover the featured country’s most famous foods, people, landmarks, and other prompts, the generated lists are used to dive further into more detailed research.

Internet Research: Using the research topics generated from AI (as well as good old-fashioned thinking), it’s time to take to Google. Travel sites and tour companies would be studied to find points of interest, travel blogs and Reddit communities would be used to research current events and trends, while food history shows and travel vlogs on YouTube helped fill in some of the more obscure facts.

Library Visits: Even with technology evolving every day, there is still great value in cracking open a physical book. Not only would delving into library books help to find leads that you wouldn’t think to search, children’s book would grant a lens into how to communicate cultural nuance to a younger audience.

Compiling the Research
After utilizing all the above methods, the research would then be compiled into a comprehensive packet that could not only be used for writing the booklet content, but also by other members of marketing. The research would be used for everything from social media planning to email campaign ideation.

Planning
Once research is completed, the content is planned out. This includes choosing trivia questions, ideating concepts for games and features, pitching ideas for the cover image, and noting the cultural connection behind each snack in the box. Once concepts are approved by the creative director, the copywriting process can finally begin.

Content Creation
Booklet: Utilizing all the above research and planning, it’s time to write up the booklet. Each snack receives its own description detailing flavor and cultural relevance. Trivia is written to surprise readers, while maintaining the brand’s quirky voice. Games and features are developed to give the reader an interactive experience that transcends the act of tasting snacks alone. A recipe is also created based on authentic local cuisine, giving readers yet another fun activity in the box experience.

Map: The map component is less-intensive content, but important, nonetheless. This coversheet is the first thing that customers see when they open the box, so it’s important that it’s exciting and interesting. In addition to the above research, Google Maps is utilized to gauge the distance of each potential point of interest featured. The goal is to ensure that each callout covers different parts of the map so that readers receive a broad view of the country. It’s also important from a design perspective so that the designer has ample room to add artwork, instead of squeezing images are the most populated areas.

Edits & Recipe Testing
Once writing is completed, the booklet copy is sent to the creative director for review. The included recipe is then tested, and a photograph is taken to include on the page. After any necessary edits, the copy is sent to design, so they can work their magic! Upon the design’s completion, one final review is required to ensure that all copy has been inserted without error.

…and then we do it all again the next month!

Customer Survey Results 2023
These numbers represent the average response for customers that completed feedback surveys in 2023.

Read the booklet: 98%
Learned something new: 95%
Found the trivia challenging: 80%
Enjoyed reading the booklet: 95%