This effort started with an extensive internal effort to update FLOR's value proposition and messaging. We found that our messaging wasn't consumer friendly.
Historically FLOR lead communications talking about the pieces (carpet tiles) rather than the final product (area rugs). We realized this was harder for our residential customer to understand so we dropped "Carpet Design Squares" to "Creative Rug Design".
In addition to the value prop and messaging we needed an update to FLOR's visual identity, and continue with messaging, to give it a deeper connection to our product. We enlisted Firebelly to help us with that. The result was a beautiful system that has received great accolades including a mention on Under Consideration's Brand New blog as a best of 2016.
my involvement: creative direction
art and copy: Firebelly
After a successful 2007 Dream in Color campaign Target decided to keep with the theme. However we wanted to evolve the concept a bit. We also wanted to make it about diversity in general so it was extended into Hispanic Heritage month and Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
We brought Black Design in to help with the campaign and we continued to work with Kwaku Alston as the campaign photographer.
The multi-channel campaign included Broadcast, web, print, retail, educational promotions and more.
We got to work with some amazing people including John Legend, Iman, Debbie Allen, Holly Robinson-Peete and more.
This campaign became quite successful and lasted three more years with updated personalities.
Behind the scenes shots live here.
And some behind the scene shots I took.
my involvement: creative direction (at Target)
the team: Agency – Black Design, Photographer – Kwaku Alston
Target used to run a quarterly Big Idea challenge to get some fresh ideas on businesses that needed a little help. Later this morphed into the Think Tank which would not only run these challenges but trained the team to become leaders in brainstorming, ideation and brand building. The Think Tank members took the process to their teams to help more people grow.
I was lucky enough to win three Big Idea challenges and be a founding member of the Think Tank.
Two of my winning concepts were visualized. The first was a concept to help launch Choxie, Target's new at the time chocolate. My idea was to create a traveling airstream that would be an oasis to stressed out working women, shoppers, moms and more. The trailer would be decked out in comfort and style and have masseuses, mani-pedi stations and of course Choxie.
The next winning idea was for a new gift card. The concept was to partner with Ohio Art and create an Etch-A-Sketch gift card for the back to school season.
my involvement: concept
One of my last projects at Target was to concept and execute artwork for the Target Cafes in new stores. My idea was to get team members to create sections of a large mural using the Bullseye design. This is concept stage as it was finished after I left however all but a few of these squares made it to the final design.
It was a cool project to get designers and artists to express their own style and collaborate with one another.
my involvement: creative direction and design
design: many Target employess
This had to have been one of the greatest experiences I've had in marketing. I inherited a 2006 Black History Month program called Dream in Color. Originally it featured some kids from Target's Start Something program. For the second year the task was simply to make the program bigger.
Working with my copywriter, Steve Chirhart, we came up with the idea to feature storytellers. We also wanted to extend Dream in Color into a holistic diversity program encompassing Black History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Hispanic Heritage Month.
For Black History Month our idea was to showcase slam poets. Then we found we had a connection to Maya Angelou.
Since she's one of the greatest storytellers we jumped on the chance to work with her and tweaked the concept a bit.
The campaign included photography for print and promotions as well as video for broadcast. We also had Dr. Angelou write out a poem that we reprinted as a gift for VIP friends of Target.
The photo shoot was amazing. It took place in her house. Our photographer was Kwaku Alston. His name came to mind because he was a college friend of a friend of mine in Chicago. I always kept his name in mind in case I had a project that was right for him.
The night before the shoot we took a look at location shots of Dr. Angelou's house. One of those shots was of her piano...on that piano was a photo that Kwaku took of Dr. Angelou a few years back for an Oprah Legends photo shoot.
When we arrived at Dr. Angelou's house her niece invited us in. We set up while Dr. Angelou got ready. When she came out I was surprised, she is a tall woman. For some reason I was expecting someone shorter.
In the first 5 minutes of chatting with her I was blown away...everything she says is poetry. During the actual shoot she was a riot...she even told me she like my hair (a guess you'd call it a messy faux-hawk.)
After the shoot we ate with her and got to chat more. She recounted stories of her life. I had read some years ago but I had forgotten. To hear them from her was amazing.
The black and white image above is one of my most cherished photos. To capture her in a great moment being photographed by an amazing photographer was so cool for me.
The printed piece is a spread from a booklet that was in Esquire magazine and in a educational piece mailed to schools. Little & Company helped with the layout for that piece.
my involvement: creative direction, photo direction, art direction and design (at Target)
the team: Agency – Little and Co., Photographer – Kwaku Alston
