Today, where traditional craftsmanship often takes a back seat to digital ease and university BAs, Rich Wallace, a seasoned freelance creative director, embarked on a transformative project with Not William for the American College of the Building Arts. The “Educating Artisans” campaign clinched a prestigious 2024 Advertising Gold Award by showcasing craft in action for a print and educational series targeted to students. Rich’s expertise and commitment to authenticity capture the essence of artisanal education and breathe new life into the brand. Learn more about how the campaign celebrates the art of building crafts and educational marketing below.
By: Rich Wallace, Freelance Art Director & Creative Director
Introduction:
American College of the Building Arts is a school dedicated to teaching the building crafts and educating artisans. We wanted to create work that would reflect that and put craftsmanship front and center.
Inspiration:
The school’s mission is to educate artisans. Craftsmanship is the root of everything being taught. The problem was that there was no craftsmanship in any of their communication, and we wanted to change that.
Creative Strategy:
The strategy behind this work was simple; portray craftsmanship in an authentic way that would resonate with prospective students.
Challenge and Solution:
Originally, the school materials were a random collection of white sheets and unconnected materials. We wanted to create something that felt unified, cohesive, and crafted. To do this, we captured a library of images of students at work. These images allowed us to build assets that would have a unified look and brand voice. From there, we were able to create a variety of materials, such as brochures, ads, and trade show pieces.
Conclusion:
We wanted to bring the school’s mission of educating artisans to life. To help, we created an authentic look and tone that would resonate with the target audience. With this or any project, the most important thing you can do is research. This helps find the DNA and define the voice of each client. Once you find this voice, you can create work that resonates and stands out.
Rich Wallace is a freelance creative and has been working in advertising for over 25 years on both B2C and B2B brands.
