the team
1
account supervisor
1
project coordinator
4
designers
2
copywriters
the process
working file for second iteration
She Runs It is a global organization dedicated to empowering women to excel across all career stages. Annually, She Runs It honors professionals in marketing, media, and technology who adeptly balance the demands of business, leadership, advocacy, and family responsibilities. These exceptional multitasking mothers serve as influential role models and mentors, inspiring their colleagues, families, and communities with their remarkable skills and determination. Prior to the award ceremony, nominees are featured in a series of advertisements in an AdWeek publication. Disney, recognizing the significance of their team member's nomination, approached The Agency to craft a full-page ad congratulating Jenn Donohue and her fellow nominees, while also championing the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the workplace on a broader scale.
moodboard
Phase 1: brainstorming
After meeting with the client to go over the brief, we started our initial steps of setting tone goals, brainstorming copy, and gathering visual inspiration. From there, we were able to devise three art directions with three different taglines and sets of copy. Then, each designer spearheaded one direction, making two different drafts— one using Disney branding and one with more creative freedom— to be presented to the client.
Phase 2: iterating
After presenting the first drafts to the Disney team, they selected the "Piercing Stigmas — Shattering Barriers" design to move forward with. As this was my design and direction, I then took the notes that the client had given in our review meeting to begin producing further iterations of the design. We explored many ways to represent this concept visually, ranging from very figurative and illustrative to much more clean and typographic. Through this rapid iterative process and frequent client check-ins, we were able to land on a style balanced these two extremes and perfectly suited Disney's needs.
first drafts
further iterations
typeface exploration
making final edits
Phase 3: finalizing
With the final design selected, I then worked closely with the art director to fine tune the final details and make sure everything was perfectly up to Disney's standards. These small adjustments like adding texture to the glass, giving it some dimension and shadows, and readjusting the copy and logo placement made the design look much more polished and worthy of being shared in a major national publication. With all of our final edits made, we packaged the files, sent them to Disney, and went to dinner as a team to celebrate a stressful but undoubtably successful project being completed.
the takeaways
Reflection
Designing a one-page ad for Disney to be featured in AdWeek magazine for the She Runs It awards was an invaluable experience that taught me numerous lessons. Firstly, working under tight deadlines for a major client like Disney taught me the importance of time management and efficiency. With the pressure of delivering quality work within a limited timeframe, I learned to prioritize tasks effectively and collaborate closely with my team to meet the deadline without compromising on creativity or quality.
Collaborating with two other designers provided me with insight into different design perspectives and approaches. Though we each presented our own direction, having mine chosen to move forward was not only validating but also reinforced my confidence in my design skills. This experience taught me the significance of embracing diverse ideas and constructive feedback, as it ultimately led to the selection of the most effective design direction.
Working with a team of copywriters and strategists further emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in achieving a cohesive and impactful final product. Engaging with professionals from different backgrounds allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the client's objectives and target audience, enabling me to tailor my design to effectively communicate Disney's message of celebrating working mothers in the advertising field while championing diversity, inclusion, and education.
Overall, this project was not only a valuable learning experience but also a milestone in my career as a designer. It reinforced the importance of teamwork, adaptability, and creativity in delivering successful projects for major clients under challenging circumstances. Moving forward, I will carry the lessons learned from this project with me, applying them to future endeavors to continue growing and evolving as a designer.
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
Time Management: managed a tight timeline, demonstrating the ability to prioritize tasks and work efficiently under pressure
Collaboration: worked effectively with two other designers, as well as a team of copywriters and strategists, to achieve a cohesive final product
Adaptability: demonstrated flexibility in adapting to changing project requirements and feedback from team members and clients
Communication: clearly communicated ideas, concepts, and design decisions with team members, fostering collaboration and alignment
Creativity: demonstrated creative thinking and problem-solving skills in developing innovative design solutions that aligned with the client's objectives and message
Graphic Design: demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to create visually appealing and impactful designs, focusing on experimental typography and illustrative elements.
Ideation: developed the ability to generate and refine creative ideas collaboratively with a team, exploring innovative approaches to typography and illustration
Layout Design: acquired skills in arranging typographic and illustrative elements effectively within a one-page ad to maximize visual impact and message delivery
Typography: applied knowledge of experimental typography principles to create engaging and unique typographic compositions that captured attention and conveyed the desired message
Illustration: utilized Adobe Illustrator to develop original illustrative elements that complemented the typographic design, enhancing visual interest and storytelling within the ad