The Columbus College of Art and Design is nearly 150 years old. It's a vital part of the community and sits at the center of Columbus's creative economy. CCAD created a new strategic plan and launched a fundraising initiative aimed at scholarships, faculty endowments, and infrastructure. Building upon their theme, Here for Change, we created a brand campaign with the confidence and boldness that only CCAD can have.
- Education
- Arts & Culture
- Strategy
- Campaign Identity
- Web Design
- Print Design
- Writing
- Creative Direction
- Environmental Design
Campaign Strategy
CCAD’s strategic plan is based on three elements: creative collaboration, intentional inclusivity, and proven potential. We extended their institutional strategy into a strategic creative platform. Our goal was not to reinvent their plan, but to extend it. We gave meaning to their “Here for Change” tagline, using tone of voice and powerful writing to create the right emotional appeal to CCAD stakeholders.
We wrote a powerful manifesto to position CCAD, the creative economy, and this campaign as vital to the transformation of Central Ohio.
Whether it’s in our personal lives or the life of an entire region like Central Ohio, transformative change is happening. Change that requires imagination, action, collaboration, discipline, and commitment — the traits of designers and artists. Here for Change: A Campaign for the CCAD Way seeks to raise $20 million and change. Change that makes life here more beautiful, businesses here more nimble, neighborhoods here more vibrant, the economy here more equitable, and the environment here more sustainable. And we’re here for it. We are the Columbus College of Art & Design and we’re here to initiate change.
Audience Messaging
We created messaging strategy for each key campaign audience: businesses, community, alumni, and faculty and staff. Each audience had a clear messaging map with what they need to hear, how that integrates with CCAD’s strategic plan, and how the success of this campaign will meet those goals.
Businesses
Harness CCAD’s expertise and strategic partnerships to support student development and demonstrate CCAD’s unique role in collaborating with community and corporate partners to solve the real-world challenges of today and tomorrow.
Community
Commit to the growth of Central Ohio through thoughtful engagement and transformative actions that reinforce the power of art and design to foster more equitable and prosperous communities.
Faculty & Staff
Transform CCAD’s faculty and staff with greater support for their professional growth and excellence as well as an equity- and inclusion-focused expansion.
Alumni
Activate CCAD alumni with a compelling and inspiring strategic engagement plan that connects alumni to CCAD and to each other, supports their continued development, and promotes their success.
Design System
The idea of the unexpected drove the visual approach to the design system. Typography, layout, physical formats, and even writing were inspired by the textural and human processes of art and design. Playful size, scale, rhythm, and subtle textures emphasize the human act of creating.
Campaign Microsite
The website is the front door of the campaign. It speaks to each of the four key audiences, starting with why this campaign matters to CCAD and ending with why the campaign should matter to them. We put the system in motion through interactions that bring the layered, textured design language to digital realm.
Print Materials
We created a suite of print materials designed for high-touch, in-person interactions with donors. A risograph printed outer wrap holds a customizable booklet. Each audience has distinct insert, tailoring the messages and design to them. This makes it easy for the CCAD team to make the experience personal.
Video
Nonfiction wrote the script, created the concept and storyboards, and mixed the audio for the campaign video. We provided ongoing creative direction to the CCAD Student Agency. The CCAD team was Ryan Feeney (Art Director), Jay Hubbard (Cinematography, Editing, Audio), Ronnie Mautner (Animation), and Olivia Indre (Design).
Environmental
We created an installation for the public campaign launch event. Each pillar of the CCAD strategic plan was translated in perspective to a dimensional group of blocks. The design wrapped around corners, revealing new views as visitors walked around campus.
Process
Results
Working with the Nonfiction team was like slipping on the perfect glove: from the start, it was a great fit. They had an almost intuitive grasp of our brand and demonstrated savvy in their strategic approach to articulating our comprehensive campaign. That intelligence and thoughtfulness produced extraordinarily sharp copywriting and gorgeous creative. They just “got it.” It was an absolute delight to partner with the Nonfiction crew.