Ad Council | Zynga

Playable Ad

As a Graphic Designer at Zynga's Studio E since 2018, I've played a key role in developing innovative playable ads for major brand partnerships. Working closely with the Ad Council, our team created quarterly campaigns that transformed brand awareness objectives into captivating gaming experiences.

My contributions focused on crafting visually striking, user-centered gameplay concepts tailored to each partner's unique messaging needs. From initial ideation through final execution, I've specialized in blending imaginative design with intuitive mechanics to produce highly engaging ad experiences. This work has allowed me to collaborate with diverse brands while pushing creative boundaries in the emerging playable ads space.

My Role

Graphic Designer | UI Designer

Company- zYNGA

Creative Director: Matt Sharpe
Architect: Prasad Maruvada | Dale Darling

Tool

Photoshop, Sketch

Platform

Apple, Android, Tablet

The Challenge

How do you get millions of mobile gamers to care about real-world issues? That was my awesome challenge designing playable ads for Zynga x Ad Council. We needed to craft playable ads that would not only capture attention but also educate users and inspire action—all while maintaining the fun, accessible quality of mobile gaming. The delicate balance between entertainment and social messaging required innovative design solutions that could make meaningful topics approachable without oversimplifying.

Solution

As a key designer at Zynga's Studio E, I created playable ad campaigns that transformed complex social issues into engaging interactive experiences for the Ad Council. Each quarter presented new challenges - from environmental awareness to social equity - demanding innovative gameplay mechanics that mirrored real-world problems through intuitive, thought-provoking interactions.

My designs bridged entertainment and activism, crafting vibrant worlds where users could explore meaningful topics through play. By developing strategic calls-to-action within rewarding gameplay loops, we converted casual interactions into genuine education and action. These campaigns proved gaming's unique power to make social issues accessible while driving measurable engagement - achieving both the Ad Council's awareness goals and Zynga's creative vision for impactful play.

Feeding America Egg Cracking
Playable Ad

When Feeding America partnered with the Ad Council and Zynga to combat hunger stigma, I created an "Egg Cracking" mini-game that transformed awareness into action. This playful experience engaged millions of Zynga users through satisfying tap mechanics that revealed hunger facts with every virtual crack - turning abstract statistics into visceral understanding while directly linking gameplay to meals donated.

My design balanced entertainment with purpose, crafting golden yolk explosions and meal counters that made social impact tangible. By embedding Feeding America's mission into addictive mobile gameplay, we achieved something rare: an awareness campaign that players didn't skip but actively sought out, proving games could be both wildly entertaining and socially transformative.

PROJECT 2

Feeding America Match 3
Playable Ad

How do you make hunger statistics stick? I designed a match-3 game where every combo taught players about food insecurity. When three canned goods lined up, players saw how many families that could feed.

The design's true success came through its seamless integration of activism into core mechanics. Strategic UI elements like animated food tiles and progress trackers naturally encouraged players to engage with the cause beyond the game. By making every match visually rewarding while educationally substantive, i created an experience where fighting hunger felt as satisfying as clearing the board - driving both awareness and action through thoughtful interface design.

PROJECT 3

Veterans Affairs Words Puzzle
Playable Ad

For the Veterans Affairs campaign, I designed a meaningful word puzzle experience that gently encouraged veterans to seek support. The playable ad challenged players to complete uplifting phrases about mental health by selecting the right word tiles, creating a subtle but powerful connection to the VA's outreach mission. Each correctly completed phrase revealed resources available at VA.gov/Reach, transforming gameplay into a natural pathway for assistance.

The minimalist design put focus on the message, with calming colors and clear typography that respected the serious nature of the topic. By making the word selection satisfying yet straightforward, the game reduced barriers to engagement while maintaining dignity around the subject matter. This approach proved that even simple mechanics, when thoughtfully designed, could deliver crucial resources to those who need them most - one completed phrase at a time.