The state of Illinois had been losing out to our neighbor state Indiana with an aggressive campaign that highlighted some of Illinois’ shortcomings. Our team was tasked with turning that around.
It took an effort to get this project started. First, we had to pitch the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) with a massive document and two in-person presentations.
Below is the pitch video we did. Please note that, back in the day, the show we were spoofing was popular and not connected to any governmental office.
We won the pitch! We were so excited and began to work immediately. First was the logo. Under my direction, our team developed this logo and tagline:
With a logo and tagline, next we needed to make sure that all the stakeholders had a common document to work from. I created the brand guidelines with many stakeholders in mind. We knew that anyone from an office worker using Microsoft Word to a designer would be using this guide, so we had to make sure it was simple enough for anyone to use.
When we think of all the people that need to interact and make for the new brand, we wanted to make a guide that was easy to follow, offered flexibility while still delivering a consistent brand story. We kept the essence of the brand we created by developing a “jewel ribbon,” a visual mnemonic that showcased the very best that Illinois has to offer.
We designed a dynamic identity package for which they can be proud, whether it’s to a colleague in another department or a prospective Fortune 100 company looking to move to Illinois.
Before the launch of the brand, we developed a series of launch print ads and posters that made sure that everyone knew were open for business.
Sadly, with a month to go before the gubernatorial election, the state of Illinois elected a new governor and the work we did was shelved.
my roles
Art direction
Design
Branding
Video editing
Video recording