The Story
In 1989 some truly noble people came together to ensure that Central Florida would be a place of art and creativity. They founded United Arts, one of the nation’s leading art agencies that would fund art accessibility for years to come. Their efforts worked, but the work is far from over. After three decades United Arts had outgrown their brand. And beyond raising over $77 million dollars for art organizations, they became something more. I partnered with them to reposition United Arts as the leader in the arts culture community.
THE THINKING
After 33 years, it was safe to say the brand needed to reassess who they are and who they need to become. As brand strategist and senior copywriter for the project, I reshaped the brand into the official storyteller of the art and culture community. With that position came a bold voice and spunky attitude, which was inspired by Robin Williams’ character in the film, Dead Poet’s Society.
WHAT I DID
+ Brand Strategy
+ Branding
+ Messaging
+ Website Copywriting
+ Video Editing
+ Brand Campaign
+ Digital Ads
THE RESULTS
The brand launch coincided with their annual fundraising campaign. With a new website, brand identity, and awareness campaign, United Arts was able to raise a record breaking $12 million, making them the leading arts agency in the country.
Brand Anthem
This is, for all intents and purposes, a rant on art. Because like all great things, art is worth fighting for.
You see for 45,000 years we as humans have yet to extinguish that desire to express ourselves — to leave our mark. To know that we existed.
Art is this remarkable human ability to give things meaning. It’s all the beauty and suffering and wonderment; it’s our victories and our failures.
Art is what we stay alive for; it’s what makes life bearable. And we’re here to fight for everything it stands for.
That starts by uniting the community — through storytelling and mentorship. Through listening. Through the never ending dialogue with the actual people who represent our culture.
You see art is everywhere. Not just on ballet stages and oil canvases. But in the sweat-filled rooms of hip hop shows. In the gutters where graffiti glows in the darkness. In every brush stroke of a new student. And in the inspiration behind social justice campaigns.
Art is in the moments when a child’s imagination lights up for the first time.
It’s everywhere. It’s everything. Our job is to keep it alive. To bring it to more people. And to make our community a more inspiring place to live.
This is United Arts: let’s make art thrive.
Campaign Headline
Make Art Thrive acts as a social movement — it’s a unifying idea that the entire community can adopt. In fact it’s bumper sticker worthy. And with all our various audiences, from donors to the general public, it’s something anyone can act on. Because whether you attend a show, share a post, or donate art supplies, you’re making art thrive — you too are championing the arts. In application, this functions as a badge of involvement: [my organization] makes art thrive.
With this language comes a rebellious, bold voice that embodies an activist’s spirit. This directly solves our brand’s challenge with sounding too institutional and robotic. Make Art Thrive almost forces the reader into action, prompting them to decide ‘am I for or against art?’
Brand Persona
The spirit of our brand is one of reverence. We know firsthand the power of art.
With that comes a persona that remains in awe — it’s a human centric perspective; raw, tender, and defiant.
