A brand new brand meets SNAP recipients where they are

Cornell Cooperative Extension is tasked with helping SNAP recipients in Upstate New York learn how to eat better and stretch their nutrition assistance benefits further.

Most learning engagements are delivered face to face, but in largely rural and suburban counties, access is limited. CCE wanted to extend their learning tools and insights to new populations. But in order to connect, we needed to understand who SNAP users are and what they’re looking for.

Listening to our audiences

Through two in-depth qualitative and quantitative research phases, we gathered insights from SNAP participants and social services program providers in our core counties and across New York State.

Detailed interviews provided a glimpse into busy lives in search of reliable information that can be easily translated to participants’ own kitchens. As much as they want to learn, users aren’t interested in going back to school or being “taught.” They want fun, easy tune-ups that grab and hold their attention.

Additional online surveys further refined the portrait, defining our audience as goal-focused, positive thinkers who almost exclusively rely on mobile devices for online content.

Research-guided everything

From the name and logo underscoring the key benefit and intent of the platform to mindfulness activities and multimedia interpretations of USDA-approved curricula—not to mention the 100% mobile-first design—nothing about the Eat Easy platform was created in a vacuum.

Participants’ own words drove the design, content, interface and user flows, resulting in a fresh, friendly experience that’s sharable, motivating and fun.

Is it working? Third-party research during a soft-launch phase validated that the experience, activities and learning were all hitting the mark.