We Make Stories is an interactive story-telling tool for children, and is the follow up to Penguin’s award-winning We Tell Stories project of 2009. Developed as a property of Puffin, Penguin’s children’s brand, the brief was to develop a suite of web-based tools to encourage children and adults to create and share their own stories online.
Penguin commissioned Zone as the lead agency for the project, tasked with developing the creative execution and core technology platform which supported the project. Individual applications were then commissioned from individual game developers all over the world, with a single tech solution providing users with a single log-in, registration process and payment functionality.
In addition to the core creative and technical task, Zone pitched for and won the opportunity to develop one of the individual story-telling applications – an interactive treasure map generator which provides children with the tools to create and share an adventure story against a number of different settings.
Zone commissioned original illustration as a core part of the creative development of the site, helping create a distinctive visual theme which runs throughout the site and all applications. Our team developed a range of shared illustrative features and tools which are used by of the applications, providing an integrated brand experience across a wide range of functionality.
Individual applications include a comic book creator, an audio book generator, a treasure map creator and a remix tool which invites kids to re-write famous stories. Our technical platform also included an online payment tool and social media functionality, encouraging readers to publish and share their stories online.
The site launched to critical acclaim from parents, children and the media, who particularly praised the look and feel of the illustrations.
"The site has a lovely vector look and feel and the illustrations are fun, colourful and varied." Digital Choice, Marketing Magazine.
"I am constantly playing with technology and stories - this site brings the two together in a blissfully easy to use and engrossing interface. Who doesn't want to make their own comic or pop-up book?" Jason Bradbury, The Gadget Show.
"A really beautiful new website designed to turn children and young people into story makers... The visuals are stunning." Parentdish.co.uk
http://www.wemakestories.co.uk