Celebrating 30 Real Women: A Campaign for Empowerment.
The "30 Real Women" campaign, launched by Moguldom, aimed to celebrate the achievements and stories of 30 exceptional African-American women who are breaking barriers in business, entrepreneurship, and social impact. The objective was to create a multi-platform campaign (editorial, branded, and social media) that not only showcased these women as role models but also sparked meaningful conversations about the challenges and triumphs of women of color in various fields. The challenge was to develop a visual identity and messaging strategy that honored the individuality of each woman's story while creating a cohesive and impactful campaign that resonated with a broad audience.
Design Process:
Research & Strategy: The research phase began with understanding Moguldom's mission and vision for the campaign. It was crucial to ensure that the campaign authentically represented the voices and experiences of the 30 women. I conducted in-depth interviews with each woman to learn about their journeys, their accomplishments, and the issues they are passionate about. These conversations revealed a diverse range of experiences, from overcoming systemic barriers to building successful businesses to advocating for social justice. This research informed a strategy focused on authenticity and empowerment, highlighting the women's individual stories while also showcasing their collective strength and resilience. The five key themes – The Sovereign, The Maven, Emerging Women, The Curator, and The Phoenix – emerged from these interviews, providing a framework for organizing and presenting the diverse narratives within the campaign.
Concept Development: The campaign's visual identity deliberately moved away from a traditional logo-centric approach. Instead, the focus was placed on powerful, high-quality portrait photography of each woman. This decision aimed to create a direct and personal connection with the audience, emphasizing the individuality and authenticity of each story. The portraits were primarily in black and white, creating a timeless and elegant aesthetic that also allowed the women's strength and resilience to shine through. The campaign title, "Thirty Real Women," was rendered in a bold, hand-drawn script font, adding a touch of human warmth and approachability to balance the sleekness of the portraits. The color palette was intentionally minimal, using primarily black, white, and a warm beige tone for background elements. This understated palette allowed the portraits and the women's stories to take center stage. Small pops of color, like the deep red used for the campaign title in some applications, were used sparingly to add emphasis and visual interest. This strategic use of powerful portraiture, minimalist typography, and a restrained color palette created a visually compelling and emotionally resonant campaign identity that effectively showcased the real women behind the stories.
