FORWARD MAJORITY - KEYS CAMPAIGN VIDEO SERIES

Forward Majority wanted a fresh approach to political advertising, collaborating with candidates Daniel Mahoney (MI), Anand Patel (PA), and Jamie Wall (WI) to create a campaign that subverted traditional, formulaic political ads. The project focused on a modular template for attack ads that could adapt to various issues while maintaining a cohesive and engaging visual style. Creative Director Brian Herman, inspired by Saul Bass, pushed for a bold, abstract, and friendlier aesthetic to capture viewer attention while breaking away from the typical "doom and gloom" tone of most political campaigns.

Creative Process
Mood Boards & Direction:

Mood boards were developed to explore styles that balanced approachability with seriousness, blending bold shapes, striking typography, and a playful-yet-focused tone.
Style Breakdowns:

Recognizing the need for modularity, I conducted detailed style breakdowns after the mood boards. Each breakdown examined specific design elements, such as typography, color schemes, animation styles, and transitions.
This process enabled a “mix-and-match” approach, allowing us to pull the most compelling elements from various styles (a little from Column A, B, and C). This not only aligned with client preferences but also provided a strong framework for granular conversations about direction before any design work began.
The approach expedited the approval process and minimized revisions, ensuring a smoother path to production.
Testing & Refinement:

Early test ads using the selected styles were shown to target audiences. Feedback informed refinements, ensuring that the visuals resonated while maintaining the campaign’s subversive edge.
Modular Design:

Built in After Effects, the ads utilized pre-compositions and placeholders to simplify swapping out content. This enabled tailored messaging for multiple candidates while maintaining visual and thematic consistency.
Execution:

Final ads blended animated cut-out shapes, bold text overlays, and mid-century-inspired visuals with narratives tailored to each candidate’s platform.

Narratives focused on specific issues tailored to each candidate’s campaign while remaining consistent in style and tone across all ads.

Jamie Wall (WI), one of the featured candidates, successfully leveraged this campaign as part of a winning strategy.

Case Study Breakdown
Client Needs:

Modular design for efficient content swaps.
A subversive, visually engaging style to counter traditional political ads.
A balance of friendly tone and serious messaging.
Creative Solution:

Saul Bass-inspired design language, incorporating bold, abstract visuals.
Modular animation templates in After Effects for quick adaptation.
Audience-tested narratives ensuring visual and emotional resonance.
Key Features of the Ads:

Animated graphics inspired by mid-century design.
Dynamic transitions to maintain viewer engagement.
Clean, abstract visuals that contrasted sharply with typical political ad aesthetics.

Results
Ads were successfully rolled out for three candidates: Daniel Mahoney, Anand Patel, and Jamie Wall.
Jamie Wall’s ad played a part in his winning campaign, highlighting the campaign’s effectiveness.
Forward Majority leveraged the modular template to maximize impact while staying within budget and timeline constraints.
Conclusion:
This campaign redefined political advertising by blending modular design with a Saul Bass-inspired aesthetic, achieving a balance of approachability and seriousness. The creative direction not only subverted traditional political ads but also delivered measurable success for candidates like Jamie Wall.

Client: Forward Majority
Agency: Creative Circle
Role: Art Direction, Design, Motion Graphics Animation, Sound, Edit
Skills: After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere
Additional Credits: Creative Director Brian Herman