Phases
D&AD New Blood Awards 2025 ● Make Gen Z watch advocates
Problem
Gen Z faces constant pressure. Life feels urgent, overwhelming, and chaotic. And in that chaos, time slips away. Not just minutes, but the moments that truly matter.
Insight
What if Gen Z saw time differently? Before clocks, we followed the moon. Steady yet ever-changing; bearing the impacts of time. Gen Z already connects with astrology and space as a shared cultural touchpoint.
Solution
Phases is an app that redefines Gen Z’s relationship with time through the phases of the moon. By encouraging reflection tied to the lunar phases, Phases helps users pause, process, and prioritise what really matters. It becomes a daily companion — like a watch — that holds moments and memories. Seamlessly linked to Christopher Ward, Phases positions the brand as more than a watchmaker; as a guide to valuing time itself.
The 2025 D&AD New Blood Awards brief challenged me to make Gen Z the ultimate advocates for Christopher Ward watches. The goal was to create a compelling reason for this digitally native, experience-driven demographic to embrace luxury timepieces and champion the brand.
An expensive luxury watch is not accessible to Gen Z.
Gen Z values personal identity and experiences over traditional symbols of status. They prioritise authenticity, self-expression, and personal growth, rather than the overt displays of wealth associated with luxury items. The challenge was to determine how Christopher Ward, known for its craftsmanship, could resonate with these values.
Finding the Link – Moonphase.
Through research and ideation, I identified the Christopher Ward Moonphase watch as a bridge between the brand and Gen Z. Its connection to the lunar cycles aligns with Gen Z’s growing interest in astrology, mindfulness, and personal growth. This presented an opportunity to position the Moonphase not just as a timepiece, but as a meaningful companion for self-reflection and personal development.
Lost in time.
In a world where Gen Z constantly faces pressure, life often feels urgent, overwhelming, and chaotic. In this fast-paced environment, time slips away, not just minutes, but the moments that truly matter. This insight creates an opportunity to connect the audience with the brand by offering a tool that encourages reflection and mindfulness. Positioning the brand as more than a watchmaker; but as a guide to valuing time itself.
The Lunar Connection.
Drawing inspiration from the moon as a metaphor for self-reflection, I considered how its stable yet ever-changing nature (shaped by external forces), mirrored the personal growth journey. What if those same traits could inform a digital experience that was equally reflective, guiding users through phases of change while remaining grounded, just like the moon itself?
Space, and time, to reflect.
Building on this insight, I conceptualised Phases, an app that aligns with the phases of the moon to guide Gen Z users through their personal growth journey. Encourages users to track their emotions, set goals, and reflect on their progress, transforming the moon into a tool for self-development rather than just timekeeping. By anchoring self-reflection to the lunar cycle, Phases offers users the opportunity to understand their own phases. Using time, and space for greater perspective.
Design
In the design process, I conducted competitor research to understand how other wellness and mindfulness apps engaged Gen Z, identifying key features and user preferences that could be applied to Phases, ensuring it stood out by offering a blend of personal development and lunar symbolism.
Impacts, Phases and Reflections.
I designed screens to track emotions, set personal goals, and monitor progress over time. These features align with the lunar phases, which change dynamically within the app. Creating a visual library of your phases, using the moon metaphor of shadows and bright spots to produce a shifting gradient effect.
The Bigger Picture.
Phases builds an authentic community, meeting Gen Z where they are, and bringing them closer to Christopher Ward.
Encouraging users to share reflections, celebrate personal growth, and build real connections, transforming Gen Z into passionate brand advocates. By creating Phases, Christopher Ward becomes the first watch brand to offer Gen Z an authentic, mindful relationship with time.
Phases creates a habitual experience for Gen Z, building a lasting connection with Christopher Ward and positioning the brand as a companion through life’s phases.
