uic - energy resources center
In the spring of 2020, the Energy Resources Center completed the first draft of their Illinois Monarch Action Plan. They quickly saw the need for a cohesive communication strategy to support the next phase of their work, including the promotion of a statewide Monarch Summit and widespread distribution of the Action Plan. I led my team in crafting a fresh, playful yet professional site and brand narrative that united both multi-agency stakeholders and the public, inspiring and prompting action on behalf of this iconic species.
creative director, copywriter
ROLE
Responsible for all aspects of the client account, including creative strategy, research and site copy. Handled all budgets, project workflows, design reviews, copywriting and client approvals.
COPYWRITER + CREATIVE STRATEGY
ART DIRECTOR
katy osborn
jenny boehme
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Appealing to stakeholders across agriculture, urban and protected lands, rights-of-way, utilities and the general public; giving each agency a seat at the table and an active role in protecting the monarch.
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As a cohesive, statewide effort, this was a chance to convey the mission and vision of the IMP in a thoughtful, clear and powerful manner. What really brought the project to life was differentiating the ERC and the IMP from other conservation, academic and environmental research sites focused on the monarch — creating a colorful and bold tone of voice and visual style with an undercurrent of scientific knowledge and professionalism.
identity + tone
The brand voice needed to offer a cohesive, inspiring, personal, public-facing narrative that matched the visual style and tone of the site, while maintaining the high standard of credibility and professionalism set by the University of Illinois Chicago and the ERC.
site build
The design and style of the site drew on the color and energy of the monarch species itself, alongside the existing IMP logo. Custom illustration, animation and graphics supplemented maps of the monarch migration and a timeline reflecting the evolution and key milestones of the IMP.
stakeholder tabs
After distilling the Action Plan, it became clear that the site would be far more robust than the originally anticipated landing page; to maintain a clean look and feel, we designed a scrolling website with tabs highlighting specific stakeholder resources.
