In 2023 VFP's ad content centered civic engagement but lacked a narrative north star. As we began planning programming for 2024, we wanted to create a narrative structure that connected all of our content around a central, relatable theme. Through audience research, we discovered that many Americans are struggling to achieve the stability they’ve been taught is attainable through hard work. What is even more challenging is the policies being advocated for and enacted that rob people of their autonomy or make it more difficult to get access to the programs that can help them achieve the "American dream". For our messaging, we chose to focus on something fundamental to America’s promise— putting freedom, power, and control back in the people's hands.
Video edit by Lizzy Barrett
our narrative theme
People of color have long experienced the struggle of attaining America’s promise. From outright discrimination to covert policies and laws meant to halt progress — we’ve seen freedoms striped away power consolidated, and control left in the hands of people who have no interest in the betterment of the lives of people in these communities. Voting is one of the tools in the people’s toolkit to begin to stand up for the freedoms everyone deserves, regain power, and take control of life outcomes by electing people who are aligned with what they want. Voter Formation Project’s goal is to produce content that serves this purpose — connecting people’s power and control over their lives to the electoral process.
Meeting the Moment
In line with our narrative theme, we chose to meet the moment with diverse types of content. By weaving together themes of community, current events, and even sports, we aimed to draw clear parallels between voting and the everyday impact that elected officials have on our lives.
Intertwining the impact of Supreme Court appointments with our power at the ballot box
We drew parallels between sports and politics to help people see that politics is just as integral to their lives as the other activities they enjoy.
Videos edited by Lesley Steele & Lizzy Barrett
Graphics by Tiarra Lucas
Graphics by A'lysia Alcorn
My Role in this project
As Creative Director, I developed the overarching narrative theme and created comprehensive creative treatments that defined project goals, target audience, tone, and creative direction. I wrote all graphic copy and video scripts, which were reviewed by the Program Director, and provided feedback on ad copy developed by the Deputy Program Director. Leading a creative team of two graphic designers and two video editors, I collaborated closely with them to produce all visual and video content, ensuring alignment with the established creative vision throughout the project.