Data Dash
Some background
Most privacy policies are dense, confusing, and unhelpful. But Twitter wants everyone to be able to understand theirs — no law degree required.
So Twitter rewrote its privacy policy to be easier to read and understand.
And they didn’t stop there. Taking the most complex & confusing parts of the policy, Twitter’s internal creative studio made a video game to take people through the privacy policy’s challenges & choices in an irresistible & funny way.
Introducing… Twitter Data Dash
We worked with creator, pixel artist, and game developer, Momo Pixel to make a pixel art platformer game (reminiscent of Mario for Gen X or Millennials, but with a soothing aesthetic that appeals to a Gen Z Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing crew) that’s approachable for anyone on Twitter and maps that feeling of protectiveness onto everyone’s new best friend: Data the dog.
My deliverables
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Naming exercises and recommendations for the official video game name and landing page URL structure.
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Where players access the video game.
Primary CTA: play the game
Secondary CTA: read the updated privacy policy
https://twitterdatadash.com/
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The video game’s level topics and basic story were already finalized by the time I was brought on.
Using that, I shaped the game’s narrative and wrote copy that both explains each level’s objective and naturally connects back to the privacy policy.
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https://tinpunchmedia.com/data-dash-game-trailer-twitter
Some considerations
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Translating/transcreating a game into nine languages means considering factors like:
Character count. Depending on the language, some words require more characters when translated. Keeping copy under by at least a few characters will make designers happy when they need to switch out copy with a different language.
Universal narratives. Some things just don’t translate well. Depending on if you’re translating or transcreating, things like idioms, slang words, pop culture references, and celebrity mentions can lose meaning and mess up the narrative if not considered from the concepting stage.
Project timeline. This campaign had some fast turnarounds and hard deadlines. Since transcreation can take longer (and is more expensive) than translations, localization needs and limitations had to be factored into the creative concept.
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Designing visuals and narratives with accessibility in mind include:
Testing for seizure-causing screens. Regularly checking a video’s flashing screen levels will keep the final product from potentially triggering epileptic viewers.
Adding quality captions. For the deaf and hard-of-hearing, quality captions are essential. Elements like line pacing, audio synchronization, and speaker identifications can help both the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and anyone who interacts with your product on mute understand your story.
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Twitter’s tone of voice is real, straightforward, and unfiltered.
But the game’s pixelated retro art direction and adventurous storyline are just waiting for some voice-y copy to go along with it.
The voice and tone I developed for the Data Dash meant balancing the playful style players expect from the genre with Twitter’s own tone of voice and brand guidelines.
