PROJECT OVERVIEW

THE PROBLEM:

WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY NEEDED A HOLIDAY CARD THAT COULD FEEL DISTINCTLY CONNECTED TO THE UNIVERSITY WHILE CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE IT FEEL LIKE HOME. THE CHALLENGE WAS CREATING A CONCEPT THAT FELT FESTIVE AND POLISHED WITHOUT RELYING ON TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY IMAGERY ALONE.

THE SOLUTION:

I DEVELOPED “WINTER WONDERLAND: FULL OF UNITY & JOY,” A HOLIDAY CONCEPT CENTERED AROUND THE IDEA THAT A UNIVERSITY IS ULTIMATELY DEFINED BY ITS PEOPLE. I CREATED A CUSTOM SNOWFLAKE CONSTRUCTED FROM INTERCONNECTED HUMAN FIGURES, TRANSFORMING A FAMILIAR WINTER SYMBOL INTO A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF COMMUNITY, DIVERSITY, AND TOGETHERNESS.

THE DESIGN BALANCES SEASONAL WARMTH WITH INSTITUTIONAL SOPHISTICATION, ALLOWING THE CARD TO FEEL CELEBRATORY WHILE STILL ALIGNING WITH WINONA STATE’S IDENTITY. THE HUMAN FORMS GIVE THE SNOWFLAKE A DEEPER MEANING. EACH INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTES TO SOMETHING LARGER, WHILE THE OVERALL STRUCTURE COMMUNICATES UNITY.

THE CONCEPT WAS SELECTED AS THE WINNING DESIGN IN WINONA STATE’S HOLIDAY CARD COMPETITION AND WAS PRODUCED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THOUSANDS OF RECIPIENTS. THE PROJECT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSLATE AN ABSTRACT IDEA (COMMUNITY THROUGH CONNECTION) INTO A SIMPLE, MEMORABLE VISUAL THAT COULD WORK EFFECTIVELY AT SCALE.