A coloring book with a black shiny cover with a pastel embryo colored on it sitting on a stack of coloring books.

Project Overview

This project was a unique and personal endeavor to create a series of coloring books focused on embryos for families on an IVF journey. The coloring books serve as a memorial for lost embryos and a celebration of those that resulted in successful pregnancies and children. This project involved extensive product management, audience research, artistic creation, self-publishing, and marketing strategies.

My Role

As the sole creator of this project, I took on every aspect, from research and design to production and marketing. My role included:

  • Product Management: Overseeing the entire lifecycle of the product, from ideation and research to launch and sales.
  • Audience Research: Conducting thorough research into the needs and emotional journey of IVF families, understanding their unique experiences, and how this coloring book could best serve them.
  • Artistic Design: Creating the illustrations for the coloring book, combining my skills in digital drawing and painting and design to ensure the book was both artistic and meaningful.
  • Self-Publishing: Managing the logistics of self-publishing, including securing 100 ISBNs for a series of books, and ensuring that the books met industry standards.
  • Marketing & Promotion: Developing and executing a social media strategy, including creating engaging videos and content for platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, to drive sales and build a community around the project.

Key Objectives & Challenges

  1. Creating a Product for a Niche Audience: The primary challenge was ensuring the coloring book resonated with IVF families. The audience is unique, dealing with infertility, pregnancy loss, or joy from successful IVF outcomes. I had to balance emotional sensitivity with artistic expression.
  2. Two hands holding a coloring book.Researching the IVF Journey: To create a product that genuinely spoke to my audience, I conducted in-depth research into the IVF journey, consulting with IVF parents, doctors, and support groups. Understanding their emotional needs helped me design uplifting and respectful illustrations of embryos.
  3. Self-Publishing Logistics: I researched self-publishing options since I wanted to maintain complete creative control over the project. I secured 100 ISBNs for a series of books, allowing me to publish multiple versions and handle distribution independently.
  4. Marketing & Building a Community: Given the topic’s sensitive nature, I am approaching the marketing strategy carefully. I developed a social media campaign that will showcase the product and highlight the emotional support it offers. Create videos that tell the story behind the project, share testimonials from my work, and demonstrate the artistic process to help engage potential customers. I aim to build a community where people can share their IVF journeys and connect over their shared experiences.

Solution

The final product is a beautifully illustrated coloring book series that offers a therapeutic and artistic outlet for families undergoing or who have experienced IVF. Each page features a hand-drawn illustration of an embryo, creating a personal connection for parents, especially those who have lost embryos. The series provides a space for individuals to reflect on their journey and find comfort in the act of creation.

Design & Art Creation: I used a mix of traditional and digital art techniques to create detailed, accessible, and sensitive illustrations. The artistic style reflects the serenity and beauty of the IVF process, with intricate designs that allow for mindfulness while coloring. The books were designed with varying levels of detail to appeal to different age groups and skill levels.

Self-Publishing & ISBN: The books were self-published using print-on-demand services to reduce upfront costs. I secured 100 ISBNs to ensure the books were professionally cataloged and could be distributed through various channels, including online stores and bookstores.

An inside page colored of an embryo.

Skills Showcased

  1. Product Management: I managed the product from start to finish, ensuring deadlines were met, quality was maintained, and goals were achieved.
  2. Audience Research: My ability to empathize with a unique and sensitive audience allowed me to design a product that met their needs.
  3. Artistic Skills: The design and illustration process allowed me to showcase my artistic skills, with each page crafted to be meaningful and beautiful.
  4. Self-Publishing Knowledge: I navigated the complexities of self-publishing, gaining experience with ISBNs, distribution channels, and the technical requirements of print-on-demand services.
  5. Marketing & Social Media Strategy: My ability to connect with audiences through digital marketing, videos, and social media platforms highlighted my content creation and campaign management skills.
  6. Empathy & Emotional Intelligence: The project required a deep understanding of the emotional journeys of IVF families, which I demonstrated through thoughtful design and storytelling.

Conclusion and Next Steps

This project allowed me to blend creativity with empathy, offering a product that served a niche audience and supported them emotionally during a challenging time. Moving forward, I plan to expand the series, incorporate customer feedback, and continue refining my marketing strategies. Additionally, I aim to explore other ways to support IVF families, whether through additional products or resources.

You can purchase my coloring books on Amazon.

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Skills

  • Content Writing
  • Design
    • Illustrator
    • Photoshop
    • Procreate
  • Marketing
    • Community Building
    • Online Ads
    • Printed Marketing
    • Social Media
  • Product
    • Documentation
  • Publishing
  • User Experience (UX)
    • Research
    • User Journeys
    • User Testing