A Phenomenological Study of Aesthetic Meaning-Making in Social Campaign Design by Young Designers
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Abstract
Background: Visual communication plays a vital role in shaping public perception, especially within the field of social campaign design, where aesthetics intersect with ethical and emotional concerns. Despite the growing reliance on digital platforms for advocacy, little is known about how young designers experience the creative process behind socially engaged visual content. Method: This study employed an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore how young designers experience and construct meaning through aesthetic decisions in digital social campaigns. Semi-structured interviews with eight designers were conducted between June and August 2024 in Jakarta, Indonesia and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results: Three key themes emerged: negotiation of aesthetic identity, emotional resonance and ethical responsibility, and platform-shaped decision-making. The findings suggest that aesthetic choices are deeply personal and contextually informed, shaped not only by campaign goals but also by designers’ internal values and lived emotional experiences. Visual artefacts and narrative data complemented the analysis, providing insight into how meaning is constructed in design practice. Conclusion: These results contribute to a deeper understanding of visual design as a reflexive, emotionally charged process, expanding current literature on human-centered design and digital communication. The study invites future research to explore designer experiences across diverse cultural contexts and design mediums.
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