Campaign Design Strategy
#TabooTalk
#TabooTalk
The Challenge: How do you get college students to engage with content about body autonomy, criminal rights, and healthcare when they'd rather scroll past it? As Design Editor, I needed to create a campaign for Southeast Arrow's special report that would work across print, web, and social media. The problem: heavy topics usually get ignored or feel preachy.
The Challenge: How do you get college students to engage with content about body autonomy, criminal rights, and healthcare when they'd rather scroll past it? As Design Editor, I needed to create a campaign for Southeast Arrow's special report that would work across print, web, and social media. The problem: heavy topics usually get ignored or feel preachy.
WEBSITE
MCMA
ROLE
Creative Director, Design Editor
EXPERTISE
Branding, Content Creation, Photography
YEAR
2022
Campaign Design Strategy
The Approach
Approach
Visual Strategy
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.
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
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.
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
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 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.
Proctor and Gamble
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)
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.
My work earned the Pearl Spotlight Award for Execution, recognizing both the quality of the visual system and its role in supporting a successful product rollout.