Wisdom by Kids
Building Innovation Equity through Generative Play
Role: Strategic Design Director & Creative Architect
(Leading in-house designers with R/GA as external partner)
The Mission: To translate Johnson & Johnson’s core value of "Care" into a participatory digital experience that shifts brand perception from a legacy product manufacturer to a modern, innovation-led partner for families.
The Vision: To leverage Generative AI as a "magical" bridge between parental pride and social impact. Using my Feature-to-Meaning framework as the foundation, I orchestrated a system of infinite scale—where a child’s abstract imagination is decoded into a unique, generative brand artifact. This wasn't just a campaign, it was a strategic move to build Innovation Equity, proving that J&J’s role in the family journey is purpose-led and technologically forward-thinking.
Designed for infinite scale, the system is engineered to recognize and visualize any theme a child can imagine, creating a self-populating library of assets that grows alongside the brand’s community.
A modular library of over 400 custom icons serves as the visual DNA for the generative engine, ensuring that every piece of AI-created art is unique yet remains strictly within the defined brand architecture.
Strategic touchpoints, from physical iPad kiosks to mobile-first interfaces, invite families to transition from passive consumers to active co-creators of the brand's purpose-led narrative.
We redefined the role of a legacy brand by creating a platform where individual parental pride fuels global social impact. Each AI-generated artwork served as a form of social currency, as families shared their child's wisdom across the world, they simultaneously activated Johnson & Johnson's commitment to child health through a direct $1-per-share donation model.
Visual Identity | AI App Prototype | Research | Marketing Campaign | Social Media
Situation
Johnson & Johnson needed to transition from a brand that talked about care to a brand that facilitated it. The challenge was to create a digital experience that could break through the "scientific" corporate image and build innovation equity by engaging families in a way that felt modern, magical, and purpose-led.
Task
I directed the strategic design and development of an AI-powered platform. The goal was to use my "Feature to Meaning" framework to turn a technical capability (Machine Learning) into a brand myth: J&J as the curator of childhood wisdom.
Action
Architecting the Logic of Infinite Scale: I directed the development of a "Meaning Decoder" engine. Instead of static templates, we built a system where AI analyzed the sentiment of a child’s words to pull from a proprietary 400+ asset library.
A Self-Evolving Visual System: To ensure the "magic" never felt repetitive, I coded a requirement for the AI to dynamically generate and save new graphics to the library whenever a match didn't exist, creating a visual language that literally grows alongside the user base.
Creative Diplomacy & Leadership: I led the R/GA design team through the core design system, educating them on the balance between brand rigor and creative flexibility. I ensured the output remained "playful and loving" rather than "cold and scientific," aligning with the audience's emotional needs while maintaining J&J's brand integrity.
Closing the Purpose Loop: We strategically embedded a donation trigger into the UX—linking every shared creation to a $1 donation to Save the Children—anchoring the innovation in real-world social impact.
Result
We redefined the role of a legacy brand by creating a platform where individual parental pride fuels global social impact. Each AI-generated artwork served as a form of social currency—as families shared their child's wisdom across the world, they simultaneously activated Johnson & Johnson's commitment to child health through a direct $1-per-share donation model.
Strategic Repositioning: Shifted J&J from product maker to family legacy facilitator and AI pioneer.
Innovation Equity: Boosted brand value by humanizing Machine Learning as an empathetic creative tool.
Scalable Infrastructure: Built a self-populating asset library as a foundation for future engagement.
Humanized Connection: Used "magical" art reveals to build deep emotional resonance with the brand.
Active Co-Creation: Turned passive viewers into brand co-authors through "infinite scale" logic.
Universal Accessibility: Drove high adoption via a playful UI across mobile and physical kiosks.
Persistent Brand Affinity: Created digital artifacts that maintain J&J's "Care" presence in the home.
Purpose-Led Fulfillment: Linked creative play to a verified global donation for Save the Children.