Hidden Characters - D&AD Entry

Around 83% of those within the queer community hide their sexuality from most of the people in their lives. Many of these people lose the opportunity to openly express themselves.

In 2023 I was a part of a team of four designers that created Hidden Characters for the D&AD competition. The problem we decided to focus on was the queer experience of needing to hide ones sexuality and identity to avoid judgment and danger. The insight we focused on was that language can be used as a hiding mechanism in order to fit in and feel safe but consequently reduces experiences.

We brought attention to the queer need to hide by utilising the typographic device of an asterisk to cover or reveal names. The asterisks highlights the name that wants to be heard versus the name that is spoken in order to hide one’s sexuality. We made this distinction visible to highlight the reality of queer experiences in hetero-normative societies.

We designed a website to engage with the wider queer community from across the world, allowing stories, regrets and confessions to finally be heard. This platform creates a safe space for all queer people to openly express themselves.

Our brief also required us to create a non traditional touchpoint. We decided to create Hidden in Straight Sight which brings the Hidden Characters campaign to life through a series of hidden letters scattered across Sydney.

Our website hosts a map that guides people to the locations where these letters are hidden and are waiting to be found. Each letter contains a story that can be read as well as a variety of tokens that can be taken and worn as a sign of support for our campaign.