Kieran Johnson proposes creating a social media platform called "The Grid" targeting politically left-wing 16-24 year olds. The platform would use multiple mediums like social media sites, a website, and graphics to promote a safe online space for people to discuss topics of interest. Over 7 weeks, the project would develop a visual identity, choose a theme, create content like articles and podcasts, launch social media communities, evaluate feedback, and publish the full platform. The goal is to build a niche community similar to Reddit and Buzzfeed that excels at catering to the interests of its target demographic.

1. Proposal
1
Student Name and Number:
Kieran Johnson 401100
Project proposal title and date:
The Grid – 3rd Dec 2021
Main area of activity
Social platform, using multiple mediums – such as social media sites (Twitter, YouTube), a
website, and all of the graphic media that comes with promoting such a platform.
Target Audience
16-24 year old, politically left-wing and active, use online services (e.g. Netflix)
Rationale:
We decided that the project was important in an attempt to give people within the age range – and
thus my age-range – a like-minded community of people to converse with regarding the topic that
we aim to base the platform around. Social media and their community have become somewhat
more important in recent times, particularly during the pandemic when there was little outside
interaction possible, with sites like Twitter and Reddit enabling communities and sub-communities
to be formed within their general media apps, where anyone and everyone is allowed on.
Obviously, this does lead to some side effects such as trolling, but with enough monitoring, this
can become a safe place for anyone with an interest in our theme.
Project Concept:
We are aiming to create a multi media social group and platform similar to those of which are
already existing, such as Reddit and Fandom, where people are able to join niche communities
tailored specifically to their subjects of interest. We have multiple social media sites in mind to use
for this, such as Twitter and YouTube to extend The Grid as a brand aimed across multiple sectors
of the internet. Doing this makes for an extensive, but well-monitored and safe space online for
people to come and escape into a realm of interests catered for them specifically. Sites such as
BuzzFeed and Vice have managed to excel in this sort of market, making themselves powerful
brands with well-respected reputations among social media sites, as well as being their own
independent sites all the same.
How will the project be evaluated and reviewed:
Regarding self-reflection, we intend to work on a weekly podcast reviewing how the work has
progressed over the week, and discuss to an analytical level how the quality is. Additionally, we
intend to seek audience-based reviews in order to gain constructive feedback to improve the work
we aim to make for the audience.

2. Proposal
2
Bibliography:
1. Franks, D. (2019). The Ultimate Guide: Gen Z Personas. Available:
file:///C:/Users/kieran-
johnson/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/BNL3YI
4E/Infegy_2019_GENZ_Personas_.pdf. Last accessed 3rd Dec 2021.
2. Goel, R (2021). The Gen Z Book: the A-Z About Gen Z. Washington DC: New
Degree Press. p1-266.
3. Smith,L (2021), I AmGen Z
4. Love, S. (2021). How to Radicalize Your Parents on Climate Change. Available:
https://www.vice.com/en/article/9kxep3/how-to-radicalize-your-parents-on-
climate-change. Last accessed 3rd Dec 2021.
5. Witt, G & Baird, D (2018). The Gen Z Frequency: How Brands Tune In and
Build Credibility. London: Kogan Page. p1-256.
6. Medhurst, J. (2021). BBC Three is making a welcome return to TV for young
and ‘old’ alike. Available: https://theconversation.com/bbc -three-is-making-a-
welcome-return-to-tv-for-young-and-old-alike-156446. Last accessed 3rd Dec
2021.
7. Law, T. (2020). 10 Vital Strategies to Use When Marketing to Generation
Z. Available: https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/marketing-strategies-generation-
z. Last accessed 3rd Dec 2021.
Week Specific Tasks
1 Visual Identity/Branding
Production
 Refinement on Logos
 Create Idents, watermarks
 Set up social media pages
2 Theme investigation  Pick theme
 How can the theme relate to the demographic
 Refine the platforms to better fit the theme
3 Content development and
planning
 Writing scripts
 Draft articles
 Craft storyboards
 Set up podcast
4 Theme content production  Make social media content
 Film to camera segments
 Fully write short articles based on theme
5 Theme content production  Record podcasts
 Post social media content
 Create different communities
6 Evaluation  Send the platform out to the audience
 Create user surveys
 Tweaks to the website based on changes
7 Contingency  Continue tweaks
 Catch up on potential time lost
 Publish the platform