The Potted Planter was originally created by Mailchimp's Knowledge Base team to add visual narrative to their how-to communications. My team saw an opportunity to revamp the brand by building a full design system with a custom photography library that would elevate the customer experience within Mailchimp's Knowledge Base.
We shot in an actual greenhouse to root the brand in an authentic real-world environment, choosing a warm, bright lighting style that mimicked golden hour light alongside the natural textures of plants, water, and dirt. Casting also played an important role — we chose a mature model to represent an underserved customer segment in Mailchimp's photography library.
The Potted Planter Photographed by: Albrica Tierra
The Potted Planter Design Lead: Kristie Fletner
"Every choice — from the lighting, to the casting, to the plants, to the custom shirts — was in service of building a brand that felt real."
