Turning “driveway moments” into a tactile brand identity.
The Challenge
Public radio is an intellectual medium, but it can sometimes feel “behind the glass.” The goal was to create a lightweight, low-cost marketing tool that humanized WBUR and resonated with a younger, design-forward demographic without losing our signature wit.
The Strategy: Playful Puns & Bold Lines
I transformed internal NPR “inside jokes” and listener culture into a series of highly collectable stickers. By stripping the brand down to bold typography and minimal graphic motifs, I ensured each piece had “laptop-sticker appeal”—balancing the authority of a news organization with the playfulness of a local artist.
My Role
Concept & Copy: Authored and refined all public-radio puns to ensure they hit the right note of “clever but kind.”
Production Design: Optimized layouts for small-scale legibility and durability (laptops, water bottles, bikes).
Strategy: Aligned “sticker drops” with specific community events to maximize organic social sharing.
The Impact
These became WBUR’s most requested giveaway, acting as mini-billboards throughout Boston. By leaning into humor, we turned casual listeners into “brand advocates,” proving that even a serious news brand can have a sense of humor.
