Photoshop Express, Adobe’s photo-editing mobile app, challenged us to launch a holiday campaign on TikTok and Instagram with a mission to engage with Gen Z and inspire audiences to explore the app's holiday features.
Through our research, we uncovered a distressing truth – “38% of people said their stress increased during the holiday season” (American Psychological Association). However, we also uncovered a glimmer of hope – creativity = healing.
We took a look at what was trending within the Gen Z audience and discovered a rise in digital scrapbooking. People were creating diary-like layouts – combining photos, text, and graphics – to capture their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Thanks to the ease of the app, Photoshop Express was the perfect platform for this new form of self-expression.
And so, the 'Dear Diary' campaign was born. We invited creators to document their holiday season through a digital diary created in Photoshop Express, providing a therapeutic outlet for the stresses of the season. One creator, Catherine McCord (@shotbycamcord), a Gen Z filmmaker renowned for her raw and emotional content, stood out from the rest.
Her 'Dear Diary' video documented her first holiday season away from home as she explored the emotions of the holidays and paid tribute to her grandfather through digital scrapbooks created with the help of Photoshop Express. Catherine's video reminded us of the power of creativity and its ability to heal.
The video touched the hearts of many people, achieving a staggering 13.9% ER, far surpassing TikTok's 7% benchmark by 99%
