Buzz: The History of the Vibrator by University of Cincinnati

This infographic takes the reader through the complex and taboo history of the vibrator in a bright and accessible way. I began with an intense research phase charting just how the vibrator's style, function, and public perception changed over time. I took note of any technological advancements, cultural shifts, benefits of owning a vibrator, and general statistics. This subject is often considered too taboo although it has a history of playing a large role in women's health. I hoped to capture the vibrator's evolution in an entertaining way to help dispel any preconceived notions about it being a shameful or abnormal item to own. This infographic was created as a class project on the subject of our choice. My imagined client would be the Museum of Sex and the infographic could be sold in the gift shop to surmise what the viewer had learned in an exhibition that also focused on vibrator history.

The project was broken into different stages; we began collecting and organizing data, then began sketching what the infographic would look like, created a style guide, and began drafting different iterations. We worked on the infographic in stages as well; laying out our more important data points first then incorporating smaller details. My project also hinged on the creation of multiple icons to represent the different kinds of vibrators throughout the years and the different kinds of benefits that a vibrator provides. The typefaces used are a blend of Varent Grotesque for headers, a sans serif typeface whose intense contrast mimics the varying shapes of the vibrator over time, and Neue Haas Grotesk a more geometric and readable sans serif typeface for the body copy. The color palette uses bright pink, bright blue, lavender, and white. I was inspired by bright sex toy packaging and the gendered view of who uses a vibrator. The blue and pink represent femininity and masculinity and the lavender is gender neutral.