In 2014 the communications team in CFANS worked through the University of Minnesota's central brand office to do identity research on the community that comprises the college. The result was the idea of the hidden obvious: that it takes a collision of diverse perspectives to create brilliant thinking. So, expect everything you think you know about the world we live in to be challenged. Because challenging what is is the only way to make a real difference in this world.

With that initial idea, and a few proposed conceptual images, I and my team imagined, wrote, illustrated and produced a full campaign to rebrand the college—packaged under and in concert with the overall University Driven to Discover brand.

We brainstormed visual metaphors to represent unique research across the college, and then I created both photo and vector illustrations for each of them. These images rolled out as ads, digital graphics, folders, posters, decals and more. I created an updated business system and style guide that included recruiting and fundraising materials, and created an expansive icon set for wide use throughout the departments.

The Hidden Obvious won awards for campaign, writing and design its first year out.