The Approach
Visual Strategy
I used black-and-white photography with bright color accents to make sensitive content feel approachable instead of clinical. Real students reflecting real problems. The goal was to create imagery that felt honest without being heavy-handed.
Campaign Identity
The "Taboo Talk" branding referenced colorful broadcast error screens when a signal gets cut or censored. I paired this glitch aesthetic with portraits of real students to create a visual statement: these are stories that get blocked out, conversations that get interrupted.
Integrated Storytelling
The campaign ran as a print publication, social media series, and live campus event. I art directed photo shoots and created assets that worked at every scale, from full newspaper spreads to Instagram rollouts.
The Impact
Strong campus engagement and event attendance. Students participated in the conversations we wanted to start.
Recognition:
1st Place, Feature Photography - Missouri College Media Association
3rd Place, Feature Page - Missouri College Media Association
1st Place, Best Campus Engagement/Promotions (team award)
Honorable Mention, Pinnacle Award for Best Campus Engagement
1st Place, Best Overall Newspaper, Division 2 (team award)
The Takeaway
Difficult topics need thoughtful design. This project showed me that good visual work can make uncomfortable subjects easier to approach without making them superficial. The design creates the entry point. The content does the rest.
