brand strategy | 2021

The School of Visual Arts’ thesis topic was ‘Repositioning Culture: Protection’, urging Masters candidates to consider what protection means as society moves forward from the COVID-19 pandemic. My team was tasked at exploring the idea of protection through the lens of housing insecurity and the Department of Housing and Urban Development- the government agency responsible for national policy and programs that address America’s housing needs.

Deliverables: Cultural Audit, Audience Insights, Positioning, Visual Identity, Activations

Research

• History of HUD

• Mapping of all housing policies in the U.S. since the ratification of the Constitution

• System intersections between housing, race, gender, identity, income, geo-politics

Cultural Audit

• Topics of space, individualism, ownership, and protection

• Key findings and insights

• Cultural perception of the nuances between housing and home

Interviews

• Questionnaire development

• Candidate research

• Interviewees included people experiencing homelessness, urban planners, homebuyers, government employees, non-profits and activists

Audience Framing

• Focus on Housing Choice Voucher Program

• Audiences segmentation: recipients, property owners, community partners

Problem Identification

• Systemic interrogation

• Hypothesis development

Strategic Positioning

• Rebrand HUD

• New visual identity and naming

• Activation recommendations and go-to-market strategy

• Awareness campaign