Driver Safety Campaign
Client: City of Tacoma, Washington
My role: Concept, illustration, design, production, animation
The City of Tacoma had a goal to reduce speeding and eradicate pedestrian casualties, but standard communications from the city tended to make viewers’ eyes glaze over. They needed something unexpected.
My team led multiple focus groups to hone in on a feel-good message that would resonate with the community, and yet the client requested something edgy for the visuals. In thinking through how to fuse the two opposing traits, I landed on a groovy, colorful, 80s-inspired design with bold typography and funky characters. The campaign launched with a billboard on a major road and a flock of yard signs across the city.
To speak to the diverse population of Tacoma’s central neighborhoods, we had the copy translated into five additional languages which I visually translated with as much loyalty to the original typography as the new glyphs would allow. To stand out in the digital realm, I animated a series of social media GIFs and a 30 second Youtube ad.
Following the success of the campaign, the city passed a new speed limit law effective January 2023 and asked for a corresponding campaign revamp. I delivered a new but parallel look-and-feel in the form of another billboard, yard signs, animations, poster, and direct mail — similarly translated into five additional languages to reach a wider audience. Later, a local humanitarian influencer became the face of the project.
