Stories of connection through food

The Brief

For many of us COVID has been the most significant life event we’ve ever faced. We weren’t really prepared mentally for the unnatural state of extended isolation that lockdowns gave us. And while many enjoyed the extra time lockdown gave us, it was undoubtably a high-stress situation, managing home, work, kids, and life in ways we never thought possible. 

We wanted to recognise the strains of lockdown on our clients and team in a way that resonated, and create a gift from that acknowledgement.

The Solution

This book collects stories of how the Insight Creative team got through lockdowns in 2020-21. It’s a time capsule of sorts, capturing the emotions, struggles and joys we went through as we stayed home to support the fight against COVID. Each of us coped in our own way, seeking joy where we could and finding ways to manage feelings of isolation and disconnection. 

Along with the realisation that we crave real connection with others, lockdown also showed us how resilient we can be. This book is also a celebration of the creative ways we adapted to what was going on around us.

With more time on our hands, food was a focus for many of us in lockdown. It became a way to express ourselves and to connect with those in our bubble. In this book, food is a metaphor for feelings and actions. If it’s true that the best recipes are those with real meaning behind them, what we have here are some of the best recipes ever created.

To capture the creativity of the team at home, a sophisticated design approach was balanced with a home spun ‘shared lunch’ feel. Core to this approach is home grown photography, complementing the voice of staff to create a high dose of realism in the final look. This is coupled with a simple graphical illustration style – where each element is distilled to its most basic form - to express simplicity, impact, and the diverse flavours of Insight. A rich, ‘complex’ colour palette creates an organic feel, capturing both the calm and turmoil of home detention.

The book was beautifully packaged and given as a gift to our key clients and our team.

The Results

The reaction has been overwhelming, with many clients taking the time to express their appreciation that we captured these emotions and stories. Many have tried the recipes and some have even shared their own lockdown food adventures with us. Food continues to connect us as a team and with our clients.