Here’s some background.
First, the messaging required a tuneup.
ACS helps millions of people through a myriad of programs that include research, patient services, prevention, community engagement, and political advocacy.
With such a broad spectrum, it was necessary to distill the complexity so that everything was more simple, direct, and understandable. AND, uniquely identifiable. AND, emotionally resonant.
Preach, then practice.
Cancer inherently involves fear, anxiety, and insecurity, so, visually, a sense of stability and trust had to be shown. To reflect the messaging, the design system had to be calibrated for simplicity, accessibility, and tone.
Breaking down the system to just the essentials allowed for regression and progression as needed. The large non-profit, limited in its resources and extremely slow to change, necessitated a gradual transition, as the old and the new had to commingle for a very long time.
Reduce, reuse, and upcycle.
Crucial to everything was providing a spectrum of the human experience. A diversity of emotions, situations, and human qualities had to be represented, because ACS helps and is helped by everyone.
contributions: art direction, brand strategy, copywriting, creative direction, illustration, visual design