Love lake Michigan
Interactive Campaign
#LoveLakeMichigan is an award winning, interactive print and social media campaign that promotes stewardship and awareness for Lake Michigan. The Delta Institute–a nonprofit policy think tank based in Chicago–partnered with the EPA to raise awareness, stewardship and 10,000 pledges of appreciation for one of Michigan’s Great Lakes. What we came up with over the course of developing this campaign ended up being so much more.
Client: Delta Institute
Awards: Gold ADDY
Agency: Redhead Design Studio
Co-creator: Amanda Brackel Wilbee
Role: Client Lead, Concept, Copywriting
Project: Awareness Campaign
Audience: Anyone living near or interacting with Lake Michigan
evoke A Feeling, Take an Action
The Delta Institute bestowed our team with two campaign goals for success. One was simple: collect 10,000 signatures around a simple, straight-to-the-heart promise:
“I pledge to #loveLakeMichigan and share my love of the lake with my friends, family, and future generations.”
The other objective was deeper and harder to measure: promote stewardship of the lake. Through this goal, we sought to evoke a deep sense of connection and belonging within our audiences. Something that would stay with them for a bit.
Inspired by large beach art installations around the world, our own experiences with Lake Michigan, memories evoking all five senses, Amanda and I came up with the die cut poster concept, bright color scheme, and copy. We found a way for our audience to interact with something tangible, able to be used while in the moment and near Lake Michigan, without taking away from the actual real-life experience. Our loftiest goal: to perhaps even add to the experience.
Through design and copy, the concept sparked curiosity leading to action, giving users the option to dive deeper into information later, once they were away from the water.
Once the #LKMI visual concept started to unfold, we strategized ways to ensure it was seen. We sent 100 surprise packages to influencers in the Midwest including 11 copies of the poster, information card, bumper sticker, a T-Shirt or sweatshirt, and a request that they share 10 of the posters with others.
It worked. Capitalizing on a main way in which people use Instagram–photos at the beach–this interactive, guerrilla advocacy campaign gained social media popularity instantly. It received media coverage and several awards. The photo frame, which doubles as a poster and learning tool, utilizes a hashtag that allows users to interact with the campaign in real-time, building an ever-evolving online conversation.
