WNYC, Studio 360 and the Modern South

 

On June 17, 2015, a Neo-Confederate terrorist targeted and killed nine parishioners at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. In the aftermath of this national trauma, old, but revitalized debates about Confederate symbols were stirred. The producers of the WNYC program, Studio 360—which is syndicated to NPR markets across the United States, reached out to me in their search for a design firm to envision a new symbol to represent the modern South.

Our team of designers, writers and creative directors spent the next eight weeks, digging into Southern history, art, language, culture and heritage—seeking a provocative yet unifying visual approach for this assignment. One that wouldn’t merely complete the assignment, but date to imagine a result that would represent diverse viewpoints, pride and stimulate discussion.

The result of the project was electrifying. Starting on September 23rd, the radio program about the project aired to millions over the course of a week, to NPR affiliates across the United States and to a global online audience.

 
 

The Symbol.

The result wasn’t merely a logo or a flag design. We realized what flags were used for in yesteryear is very different today. It’s a means of designating a place, a person or a thing as belonging to a group or a belief. Today, we signal such belonging via clothing, social media avatars, stickers, home decor, tattoos and—yes—even flags. Creating something that was flexible enough to reside anywhere and be instantly recognizable was critical.

 
 

The Campaign.

Symbols and brands rarely ever have inherent meaning. They receive their definitions by how people experience them in the world. As such, we were revealing something new to millions of people that had no real “experience” other than a conversation on a radio show and some mock-ups. As such, we showed what a campaign would look like. Adding more richness to the story and giving people a broader sense of what this brand could look like in the real world.

 
 

Here are the original radio interviews and some of the stories about the project.